The Du-reform took place in Sweden at the end of the 1960s' when the use of du (equivalent to thou in English, tu in French or du in German) was generalised for all contacts between persons.

Prior to the Du-reform, the rules of etiquette to address people were complex. In these times, if you would meet Mr Johan Björn, a professor, you could address him as follows, in order of politness:

1. Mr Professor Björn
2. Mr Professor
3. Professor Björn
4. Mr Björn
5. Björn or Johan (in family setting)
6. "Hon" corresponding to the English "he"
7. "Ni" corresponding to the English "you"
8. "Du" corresponding to the English "thou"

In short, people outside the inner family circle should be always addressed using their title (option 1 to 3). In the working environment, a subordinate could be addressed using you or preferably he or she. But You was considered as disrespectful, degrading if not even rude. Du could only be used whithin inner family, when addressing childrens or cousins, but hardly for older relatives.

Social interactions became increasingly challenging within this framework of bienseance. Here are examples of the challenges one was facing while engaging contact with someone:

• Professor Björn would be the acceptable for most people. However, people of higher standing would feel offended if not addressed with an additional Mister or Madame.
• When addressing a married woman, the feminine form of the husband title should be used, with issues indicated in the preceeding section. An increasing problem was addressing married woman who had a professional title by themselves.
• Two persons of similar rank and age could address each other using only their title and omitting the surname.
• Two friends (not too close) or a superior to a subordinate could use surname without title. This was the way used among students brotherhoods.
• In the lower social class, "He" or "She" could be used among peers. It was more frequent in the countryside while considered "rustic" among educated people.
• Elders in the lower social class could be addressed using Father, Mother, Uncle, Aunt... followed by their christian name.
• A master could address his/her servants using the bare christian name, and using the third person form.
• At the end, "Du" was only used between childrens, married couple or lovers. Friends could use Du after having toasted for thou (du-skål).

These rules of etiquette became increasingly difficult to comply with because of the innumerables ambiguities and opportunities to unintentional offence. People started increasingly using circumlocutions to address each other. For example, if you would want to propose a cup of tea to someone, you would say "Might it be a tea...?" in fear of not getting it right by using a more direct form.

Bro Rexed