# Addressing dieties in languages with T–V distinction (informal/formal 2nd person pronouns, e.g. thou/you) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 2, 2023, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-dieties-in-languages-with-t-v-distinction-informal-formal-2nd-person-pronouns-e-g-thou-you/979185 "2023-02-02T01:19:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-dieties-in-languages-with-t-v-distinction-informal-formal-2nd-person-pronouns-e-g-thou-you/979185/1 "2023-02-02T01:19:58Z")
I recalled that _thou_ was used in English when addressing God/Jesus and wondered about other languages with current or past distinction between informal and formal 2nd person pronouns. Wikipedia tells me the informal pronoun is/was used similarly in: Old French (poetry) German Welsh, Cornish, Breton Hindi, Urdu (poetry) Bengali Hungarian And I see the opposite (formal pronoun for God) in: Afrikaans Dutch is complicated by regional differences: > Modern northern [Dutch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_language), and usually standard Dutch as well, has two forms of second person pronouns, namely _jij_ and _u_. _U_ is the formal pronoun, whereas _jij_ is used as the informal personal pronoun to address a single person. In the plural, _u_ is also used, alongside the informal _jullie_. In the south, only one pronoun, _gij_, is generally used in all three roles: both singular and plural, formal and informal. _U_ is sometimes also used in formal situations, but the southern _gij_ does not have a distinct informal connotation like the northern/standard _jij_, and can be used to address anyone without offence. Religious Dutch speakers in all areas address [God](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God) using either _Gij_ or _U_; _jij_ is never used. For speakers of the north, this is usually the only place where _gij_ is encountered, giving it a formal and archaic tone, even though it is neutral in the southern areas where it is still used. There are many more languages with T–V distinction. I had no idea there were so many. But for most, the wikipedia article doesn’t mention which pronoun is used when addressing a deity. So I’m curious what Dopers know about some of these other languages. Or any of the ones I got wrong above. > **[T–V distinction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%E2%80%93V_distinction)** > > The T–V distinction is the contextual use of different pronouns that exists in some languages and serves to convey formality or familiarity. Its name comes from the Latin pronouns tu and vos. The distinction takes a number of forms and indicates varying levels of politeness, familiarity, courtesy, age or even insult toward the addressee. The field that studies and describes this phenomenon is sociolinguistics. > Many languages lack this type of distinction, instead relying on other morphologica... > **[T–V distinction in the world's languages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%E2%80%93V_distinction_in_the_world%27s_languages)** > > The T–V distinction (from the Latin pronouns tu and vos) is a contrast, within one language, between various forms of addressing one's conversation partner or partners. This may be specialized for varying levels of politeness, social distance, courtesy, familiarity, age or insult toward the addressee. The distinction occurs in a number of the world's languages. > Modern Afrikaans rarely makes the distinction between the informal second-person singular jy/jou and the more formal u (U when addressin... ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-dieties-in-languages-with-t-v-distinction-informal-formal-2nd-person-pronouns-e-g-thou-you/979185/2 "2023-02-02T01:37:57Z")
I checked the Lord’s Prayer in the Spanish-language Bible I have on hand (Matthew 6:9-13). It uses the familiar “tu” when addressing God. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/addressing-dieties-in-languages-with-t-v-distinction-informal-formal-2nd-person-pronouns-e-g-thou-you/979185/3 "2023-02-02T20:05:18Z")
Can confirm it for German; the informal “du” is used, not the formal “Sie” - and that’s symmetrical: Humans address God by “du” in a prayer, and God addresses humans by “du” in the Bible. The reason for that is that the T-V distinction is not so much about hierarchical rank as it is about personal distance: You use “du” for people you’re close to, which includes the concept of God, at least in Christianity.