Re: Calling people...

[Christian Perrier <bubulle at debian dot org>]

> As for tu/vous, Arabs always use you which is equivalent to tu, so we
> won't have an equivalent to 'comment allez-vous' except to plural.
> In some cases, I think mainly for kings and the like, the plural you is
> used in expressions like 'your honour', 'you excellency', etc..
> Even these expressions are used as singular in most of the cases.
> I think usage of 'vous' equivalent is discouraged by the islamic
> culture..

Indeed, after thinking, I should have known this. As you know we have
lot of immigrants from Maghreb countries in France and, well, we have
some kind of historical links with Northern Africa (several would say
"colonial links", of course). And I have always noticed that people
originating from these countries (especially those born in
Algeria/mMorocco/Tunisia) always use "tu" when speaking
french....which, by the way, makes the conversation very
friendly...:-)