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From: jgpo@iwu1c.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: Re: Missing Words
Message-ID: <150@iwu1c.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Sep-83 11:08:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: iwu1c.150
Posted: Fri Sep 16 11:08:28 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Sep-83 06:20:12 EDT
Organization: BTL Naperville, Il.
Lines: 27


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The exclusive "we" in English is "you":  "Can you go out tonight?" has a
distinct meaning.

			     't`   --Tucker (ptw@vaxine.UUCP)
			      ~

========================================================================

I don't think so.  The exclusive "we" and the "you" are two entirely
different things.  Picture two kids talking to their mother.  One asks,
"May we drive to the beach today?"  This, presumably, includes both
siblings *AND* Mom (assuming the kids are too young to drive).  Now, if
one of the kids asks, "May we play in the yard after lunch?" it is
ambiguous whether the "we" includes Mom or not.

Contrast this to a kid, asking both parents, "Are you going out tonight?"
This construct unambiguously refers to the parents only.

The exclusive "we" excludes the listener.  The "you" excludes the speaker.
They are *NOT* the same thing.


		John Opalko