I just had a marvelous idea for part of a science fiction story. You have
a culture with two forms of address. One is used for adults, especially
in a professional context. The other is used for children, dogs,
inferiors, and descendants of former slaves. A person - probably a Silent
Generation equivalent - is reared hearing the respectful form used to
everyone except children like hers - and comes of age in a world where
she is constantly addressed by the contemptuous form even in the most
professional of circumstances. i.e. "Hablas tu, Pattikins, why do you
want to be on the Supreme Court?"
For 50 brownie points or more - what is wrong with this *strictly as a
Science Fiction* idea?
Patricia (Pat) Mathews
mathews@unm.edu
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