Submitted by Sheila on October 4, 2018, at 15:49
Hi, Anvita,
Thank you for your comment on my post!
My understanding is that it is customary to use “vous” in French when speaking to a stranger or a near-stranger, or when speaking to a person of higher rank (e.g. a higher position at work).
I checked with a Francophone colleague to see what her take was on this, and she confirmed that it was the standard practice to use “vous” in speaking to someone that you don’t know well, especially when the speaker is young and the person spoken to is older, or when the person spoken to is in a position of authority. But when adults have passed beyond an initial acquaintance, one of them may suggest using “tu” to put the other person at ease and to signal that the other person is no longer viewed as a stranger.
One point I saw mentioned in an article in the Quebec government’s Banque de dépannage linguistique (http://bdl.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/bdl/gabarit_bdl.asp?id=5140) is that people generally use “tu” in the workplace. In my own experience at work, anytime I have addressed senior managers as “vous” (even the first time I met them), I have always had them tell me immediately that I can use “tu.” It’s just a way of establishing an atmosphere of equality among colleagues.
No doubt you have been invited to use “tu” for a similar reason: people just want to dispense with formality and establish a more relaxed atmosphere.
Thank you for your comment on my post!
My understanding is that it is customary to use “vous” in French when speaking to a stranger or a near-stranger, or when speaking to a person of higher rank (e.g. a higher position at work).
I checked with a Francophone colleague to see what her take was on this, and she confirmed that it was the standard practice to use “vous” in speaking to someone that you don’t know well, especially when the speaker is young and the person spoken to is older, or when the person spoken to is in a position of authority. But when adults have passed beyond an initial acquaintance, one of them may suggest using “tu” to put the other person at ease and to signal that the other person is no longer viewed as a stranger.
One point I saw mentioned in an article in the Quebec government’s Banque de dépannage linguistique (http://bdl.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/bdl/gabarit_bdl.asp?id=5140) is that people generally use “tu” in the workplace. In my own experience at work, anytime I have addressed senior managers as “vous” (even the first time I met them), I have always had them tell me immediately that I can use “tu.” It’s just a way of establishing an atmosphere of equality among colleagues.
No doubt you have been invited to use “tu” for a similar reason: people just want to dispense with formality and establish a more relaxed atmosphere.