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Post by hwinpp on Oct 22, 2009 10:03:46 GMT
Nothing against your husband, bjd, and I don't know the age of his students, but I would have found it patronizing (going to the final 3 years of school in the early 80s) to be tutoied.
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Post by bjd on Oct 22, 2009 14:46:22 GMT
1968 was the turning point in France for relations among university colleagues. In the following years, tutoyer became automatic, as a sign of equality, not being patronizing. So in the academic world, nobody says vous to a co-worker who is on the same level, although oddly, a secretary might get "vous' from a boss. And all students automatically say "tu" to each other, even if they have never met before.
When my husband said 'tu' to his students (not in class but with interns or doctoral candidates), he expected them to say 'tu' back. The older ones indeed do, but the younger ones didn't, so that is why he stopped because he felt uncomfortable. Mind you, he also says 'vous' to our kids' friends, and I don't.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2009 5:58:05 GMT
There are so many reasons that people can say 'vous' or 'tu' -- patronizing, defensive, friendly, insulting, etc. -- that outsiders will most likely still be mystified for generations to come.
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