Sunday, December 29th, 2013

Time	Event
9:43p	Please help get rid of three "look"s in a passage http://linguaphiles.livejournal.com/5976220.html Please, can anyone suggest how to modify the fragment below to avoid using derivatives of the verb to LOOK three times: "Many of us, the young nuns, when first introduced to the abbess, dreaded talking with her. But this sense of fear melted away as she LOOKED at you tenderly and lovingly. I learned very quickly that she wore chains, although you would have never guessed LOOKING at her robe, which LOOKED nearly elegant due to its immaculate cleanliness”. Thanks a lot in advance! (Comment on this)
9:43p	linguaphiles @ 2013-12-29T08:05:00 http://linguaphiles.livejournal.com/5976046.html I've been involved in a discussion about the use of the familiar you (in languages that have a familiar and formal version). In English, that used to be "thou" and "thee," in French, Spanish, etc., "tu," and in German "du." Of course in everyday use the familiar is for those close to you or younger, while the formal "vous" etc. is for strangers, elders, and others you must address with respect. However, the familiar in modern English is mainly known to most of us from the Lord's Prayer, and I see that in many other languages the familiar form is also used in that prayer. I thought I remembered that in French, the familiar "tu" is used to address God and would be used to address royalty, if there still were French royalty. Does anyone know how this special use of the familiar came about? Is it true in other languages besides French, and was it true in Latin? (Comment on this)

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