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[Part 2] - A CLEARER WAY, I THINK SO, TO 'MASTER' FORMS OF ADDRESS IN VIETNAMESE
منذ ٤ أعوام Followed by the general knowledge about FORMAL ADDRESS in Vietnamese, let's have a deeper dig in the real-life conversation of our culture.
Link of part 1 is here: https://www.verbling.com/discussion/part1-a-clearer-way-i-think-so-to-master-forms-of-address-in
II. FOR INFORMAL CASES, EVERYTHING WILL MESS YOU UP, SO HOLD ON TIGHT AND BE CAREFUL :))
1. IN HUGE FAMILY/CLAN:
Let's take a look at this conversation. Imagine that you are the main narrative, meeting someone named [A] at the first time. You know this person is a member of your family but you have no idea who he/she is, just to address him/her exactly:
You: "Chào bạn!"
(Hello!)
[A]: "Chào bạn! Rất hân hạnh được gặp!"
(Hello! Nice to meet you!)
You: "Tôi cũng vậy! Mà...tôi không biết phải xưng hô thế nào với bạn cho đúng đây?"
(Me too. Well, I don't know how to call you right way?)
[A]: "Vâng... bạn cứ hỏi đi!"
(Yes, ... just go on!)
You: "Mình 24 tuổi, còn bạn thì sao?"
(I'm 24, and you?)
[A]: "Mình 20 tuổi!" (I'm 20!)
You: "Ồ, vậy là phải xưng anh/chị - em rồi!"
(Wow, so I'm gonna be "Anh/Chi", and you're "Em"!)
[A]: "Vâng, mà anh/chị biết Ông [B] không? Ông ấy là bố em đó!" (Yeah right, but do you know Mr. [B]? He's my dad!)
You: "Bố anh/chị gọi ông [B] là Bác... Vậy có nghĩa anh/chị phải gọi [A] là Chú/Cô rồi!"
(My dad calls him "(Old) Uncle" ... that means I must call you Uncle/Aunt!"
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Like the formal cases mentioned in part I, informal forms must be a much more higher and complicated version because you will not just rely on genders, ages or social ranks, but on the relationship among you and other members in your family (like what happened in the sample conversation). This is a clear line between paternal (họ hàng bên nội/nhà bố) and maternal (họ hàng bên ngoại/nhà mẹ), and some people will feel disrespected when being called wrong way, that's why you the learners must be very careful to address them correctly.
- In your nuclear family (just grandparents, parents and children), it's easy to call each member by words you already know:
+) Cháu/Con - Ông/ Bà
+) Con - Bố/Mẹ
+) Anh/Chị - Em (depends on the relationship with your siblings)
- IN A HUGE CLAN, for your speaking partner, there are some INFORMAL pronouns based on relationships, paternal - maternal, and ascending ages:
*Paternal - Họ Nội:
+) Male: Em, Anh, Chú (uncle but younger than your dad), Bác (still uncle but much older than your dad), Ông (grandpa-ranked), Ông Nội (your father's dad)
+) Female: Em, Chị, Cô (aunt but younger than your dad), Bác (still aunt but much older than your dad), Bà (grandma-ranked), Bà Nội (your father's mom)
* Maternal - Họ Ngoại:
+) Male: Em, Anh, Cậu (uncle but younger than your mom), Bác (still uncle but much older than your mom), Ông (grandpa-ranked), Ông Ngoại (your mother's dad)
+) Female: Em, Chị, Dì (aunt but younger than your mom), Bác (still aunt but much older than your mom), Bà (grandma-ranked), Bà Ngoại (your mother's mom)
- For yourself, there are some options. It depends on who you are talking to:
+) Anh/Chị: for you are older than the speaker (Em)
+) Em: for you are younger than the speaker (Anh/Chị)
+) Cháu/Con: for the speakers are your uncle/aunt/grandpa-grandma...
Let's check (by deciding) some examples below to explain these things above:
- CHÚ Trung: the man who is your uncle but (older/younger than your mom/dad)
- DÌ Ba: the woman who is your aunt but (older/younger than your mom/dad)
- (Em/Chị/Cháu) chào BÀ Lan!
- (Con/Cháu) hãy đi mua một ít rau cho MẸ đi!
- Xuan is your father's aunt, therefore you must call her (Cô/Dì/Bà)
ANSWER
1. CHÚ - Uncle who is younger than your FATHER
2. DÌ - Aunt who is younger than your MOTHER
3. Cháu - Bà
4. Con - Mẹ
5. Bà
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