27932: Valdman: (reply) : vous-autres (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: valdman01@aol.com

In   response   to
madison bell <mbell@goucher.edu>'s   inquiry.

The use of    autres (zòt)   as   plural marker   for personal pronouns   is
widely attested in   verncular   and diaspora varieties of French (Cajun,
etc.).    vous-aut' is widely used   and   eux-aut'   even more.
In   Cajun we find   for   3rd   plural:    i(ls) mange,   i(ls) mangeont,
ça mange,   eux-autes mange, eusse mange (no need to use   'mangent' since
there is no difference in pronunciation.   See.

Kevin J. Rottet.   2001.   Language Shift in the Coastal Marches of
Louisiana.   New-York: Peter Lang.
I have noted   the   form   eux-aut'   in   France around   2000.

AV

Albert Valdman, in Yale French Studies # 107 quotes the word "zottes" from
a colonial-era text and translates the word to mean "you"  vis
 <<Zottes va pale li comme ca
You (plural) are going to speak to him thus>> p. 148 of Yale French studies
#107 in question.
 I have seen other texts from the same period where the same word is spelled
"zautres" or "z'autres" which leads me to think it must derive from French
"les autres."
 so how did we get from "the others" to "you"?  Anybody know?
 Sorry for the academic nature of this question but I really would like to
know more about it and in the <<us>> vs <<them>> situation which seems to
obtain in Haiti these last days, it is sorta preying on my mind....
 msb




Albert Valdman
Rudy Professor of French/Italian and Linguistics (Emeritus)
Director, Creole Institute
Editor, Studies in Second Language Acquisition
Phone: (812) 855 4988/0097
Fax: (812) 855 2386