I propose to assess pronominal address terms in a language pedagogical context. Specifically, I will be discussing a group of Anglo French dialogues from the turn of the 15th century, the Manières de langage, which were designed to teach Middle English speakers how to speak French. When reading the dialogues, it is clear that the authors felt the need to demonstrate different address systems which are applicable to the same scenario. This occurs, for example, when a prostitute greets a lord before rendering her services:

Mon signeur, vous estez tresbien venu. Vel sic: Mon signeur, bien soiez venu. Si vero tuizaveris aliquem, hoc modo responsionem tuam procul dubio reserabis: Bial amy, bien sois venu.

[My lord, you are very welcome. Or: My lord, may you be welcome. If you want to use singular pronouns to anyone, in this way you will disclose your response: Good friend, be welcome. (Manières: 39)]

In line with my interest in how the Manières de langage taught pragmatic competence in L2, I will examine the differences between pronominal address systems in Middle English and Anglo French at this period, neither of which are well understood by researchers today who struggle to account for the apparent ease with which speakers switch pronominal address terms. I will attempt to approach pronominal address in the two languages through the perspective of indexicality, in order to theorise why this switching may have occurred. I will moreover argue that the English-speaking learners likely had difficulty in adopting the French pronominal address system. This is because there is a demonstrably clear preference across Anglo French for the V form over the T form, suggesting it as an unmarked form of address. There is no such distinction for Middle English, which presents more of a mixed pronominal distribution.

Source text

• Kristol, Andres (ed.) 1995. Manières de langage (1396, 1399, 1415). ANTS 53. London: Anglo Norman Text Society.