Contrasting Fortunes of European Leaders Attempting to Use the T-Form of Address in Public During State Visits

DOI

10.2991/assehr.k.220306.060How to use a DOI?

Keywords

T and V forms of address; Speech etiquette; European Leaders; Diplomatic behaviour; Intercultural communication; Discursive approach

Abstract

This article examines the use of T and V forms of communication. We explain the historical and psychological reasons why Russians are wary of T as a form of communication. We give examples of European Leaders and their choice of T and V forms when addressing others, in private and in public, which go beyond traditional norms. The reaction of the Russian media to the use of the T form by Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel when addressing President Vladimir Putin is contrasted with the reaction to French President Emanuel Macron when he also attempts to introduce the T form of address. All this suggests that, although T form of address may be common between politicians in private, the V-V form of address is the safest strategy if third person interlocutors are present, except in very special circumstances.

Copyright

© 2022 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.

Open Access

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license.

Download article (PDF)

TY  - CONF
AU  - Marina Vazanova
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/03/30
TI  - Contrasting Fortunes of European Leaders Attempting to Use the T-Form of Address in Public During State Visits
BT  - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Education, Language, Art and Inter-cultural Communication (ICELAIC 2021)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 369
EP  - 374
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220306.060
DO  - 10.2991/assehr.k.220306.060
ID  - Vazanova2022
ER  -