the questions of our times: formality and vampires

[rm]

This, thanks to a discussion started by weirdquark. Please do visit the comments where you will learn many things including the many ways formality is structured in different languages (something my questions did not fully take into account, and I apologize for that), werewolf pack dynamics considerations, and whether there are vampires in France.

[Poll #1601631]

Comments

[spiderine.livejournal.com]

I respectfully disagree. Even in human form, werewolves are creatures of instinct. They're hierarchical animals and respect strength. At least *try* the dominant stance first; then, if you realize you're against an alpha, *then* submit.

As for ghosts, it depends who the ghost was in life. Formal if an old-fashioned adult person, informal if a child or modern contemporary.

[shadowvalkyrie.livejournal.com]

It would also depend on whether the ghost is a family member.

[spiderine.livejournal.com]

True! But great-great-uncle Claude may be from a time when one respected one's elders and and he expects to be called "sir".

[shadowvalkyrie.livejournal.com]

Might be. But on the other hand, if he's been around all the time, he must have picked up that things changed a bit since he was alive? Tricky. I'd probably wait and see how old-fashioned his speech is in general.

In any case, the formal default can do no harm.