Politeness in Pronouns

Abstract

Abstract In many languages, a person can be addressed either in the second person singular or the second person plural: the former indicates familiarity and/or lack of respect, while the latter suggests distance and/or respect towards the addressee. While in Ancient Greek pronominal reference initially was not used as a ‘politeness strategy’, in the Post-classical period a T–V distinction did develop. In the Early Byzantine period, I argue, yet another pronominal usage developed: a person could also be addressed in the third person singular. This should be connected to the rise of abstract nominal forms of address, a process which can be dated to the fourth century AD.