The English address system

Learn these words before you read the text:

vocative – обращение (лингвист.)

(Vocatives are words that you use in addressing people);

to address – обращаться к кому-либо

intimate – дружественный

to respect –уважать

if addressed to - если он обращен к

(She is helped to a chair. – Ей помогают сесть на стул.);

address system – система средств обращения.

Foreign students often think that English is a simple language. “Look how easy it is to address somebody in English”, they say. “There’s only one word – ‘you’. In my language it’s more difficult”.

The fact that the English language has only one form “you” doesn’t mean that Englishmen see no difference between friends, people they don’t know, people they respect and so on.

For example: “What time is it, John? Can become: “Excuse me, could you tell me the time, please?” if addressed to a person you don’t know. Here is another example. A woman in a shop suddenly feels unwell and is helped to a chair. Her husband may ask: “Are you all right, dear?” A person who doesn’t know her may say: “Are you all right?” And the shop owner may ask: “Are you all right, madam?”

The English address system has intimate, neutral and polite forms.

There are many different intimate vocatives. Among these there is the person’s first name. Other intimate vocatives are “dear”, “love”, “old boy”, “old man” etc. The word “old” here doesn’t really mean old. It simply shows you are friendly to a person.

It is difficult to give the rules which explain the use of the vocatives. The use of no vocative at all, as in “Are you all right?”, is easier to explain. It is neutral.

A polite vocative is used to show some special respect. The polite vocatives are “madam” or “sir”, “Mr. Smith” or “Mr. Smith”, “ladies and gentlemen”. There are many other polite vocatives, for example, professional words such as “Doctor”, “Professor” and so on.

So the question of addressing a person in English is not so simple as it seems to be. Pay attention to these vocatives when you are speaking to an Englishman or reading an English dialogue. They are strange words, but very important for you.

Task I. Read the statements below and choose the one that best tells the main idea of the text.

1. It is difficult to learn how to use English vocatives.

2. English vocatives are very important for students of English.

3. In addressing people it is better for students of English to use the neutral style.

Task II. Say which of the following statements are true.

1. The English address system has:

a) neutral and intimate forms

b) neutral and polite forms

c) neutral, polite and intimate form.

2. ”Old boy” is:

a) a polite vocative

b) an intimate vocative

3. A polite vocative is used to show:

a) some special respect

b) friendliness

4. A shop owner usually uses the words:

a) old man

b) dear

c) sir, madam

Text 3.Read the text and do the tasks.

To each his own

Learn these words and expressions before you read the text:

point of view – точка зрения;

from my point of view – с моей точки зрения;

differ – различаться, отличаться;

make an appointment – назначить встречу;

space – пространство;

inch – дюйм (=2,5см);

to make lines – создавать очередь;

to be too close – держаться слишком близко.

Read the text. Guess the meaning of the words you don’t know. Read and think how you will translate the title of the text “To each his own”.

In some ways people all over the world are alike. They eat, they sleep, they work, they play, they laugh and cry. But in other ways they are different. The way they look at the world is different. Their points of view are different.

Let’s take time, for example. If a North American makes an appointment with someone in an office for 11.00 a.m., he will probably come to the office early – maybe about five minutes before eleven. He will tell the secretary that he has an appointment for 11.00 and will start to wait. But after ten minutes he will become uncomfortable. In many other countries it is different. If a person makes an appointment with someone for 11.00 a.m., there he may not come to the office until 11.15 or 11.30. He will not be surprised if he has to wait until 11.45. The idea of what is early and what is late differs from country to country.

We also have different ideas about space. North Americans like to stand about eighteen to twenty inches from each other when they talk. People from many other countries like to stand twelve to fourteen inches from each other when they talk. When a North American talks to someone from one of these countries, everyone feels uncomfortable. The North American thinks that the person is trying to be too close. The other person thinks that the North American is too unfriendly, too far away. The North American carries his “space” with him. When he stands in a line, he will stay about eighteen inches away from the next person, if it is possible. When he is on a bus, he will try to find a seat far from everyone. In many other countries people do not make lines when they wait for a bus. They stand in a group. When they sit on a bus, they sit close to each other.

In some countries the dinner table is the place where the father and mother talk while the children listen. In other countries the children talk and the mother and the father listen.

To express the idea that everyone has his own point of view, the English say, “To each his own”.

Task 1.List the following items in order they come in the text:

1. A North American who has an appointment usually comes five minutes earlier.

2. In many countries people don’t make lines when they wait for a bus.

3. People have different ideas about space.

4. In some ways people all over the world are alike.

5. The idea of what is early and what is late differs from country to country.

Task 2. Say which of the following statements are true:

1. North American will become uncomfortable if the person he has an appointment with is:

a) five minutes late;

b) ten Minutes late;

c) fifteen minutes late.