this post has nothing to do with farscape

[schmerica]

Random poll of the day! Tell me, my lovelies, what do you think-- if talking in French to someone he was in a sexual relationship with, would Benton Fraser use the tu form or the vous form?

(I personally am inclined to think he would definitely have used the vous form with Victoria, but I'm not sure if it were Ray Kowalski.)

Second question, for extra bonus points: is it kind of weird that these are the questions that occupy me in the shower these days?

P.S., here is a link to my new favorite Grey's Anatomy George/Izzie story in the history of the world, which was written before last night's episode: Something Better by fox1013. There is banter and scary girls and drinking and platonic sleeping and muppets and stuffed hippos and it is the best thing ever. Trust me.

Comments

[moireach.livejournal.com]

Well I've only seen one episode of your show (BLAME lalejandra), but having taken French I'd say DEFINITELY tu -- vous is extremely polite, for talking to strangers or authority figures, and in Canadian French tu is even more common and vous even less used.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

See, I think that is true, but my hesitation is at the fact that Fraser is often unusually formal or old-fashioned, you know? He's practically Victorian at times when it comes to relationships.

[aneli8.livejournal.com]

is it kind of weird that these are the questions that occupy me in the shower these days?

Only if it's weird that I think about how likely it may or may not be for Craig Zwiller of "Last Night" to be a grown up/older version of Newbie from "Twitch City" in which he's only working at the store part time to pay for med-school.

...

Yay Farscape!

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

*giggles* That is Don McKellar's fault, man, for recycling both the same actor and the same character name!

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

Your headless barbie mood thing is scary as HELL

[zvi-likes-tv.livejournal.com]

I think he would definitely tutoy, because if you are so socially distant from someone you can't use tu, you're too socially distant to see them naked. It would be improper in the other direction is what I'km getting at.

Like, okay, have you ever read a story about some super snobby or fabulously wealthy character who is appalled, absolutely apalled that anyone would eat anything with their fingers? For someone who is raised with beautiful manners, that is actually incorrect, because certain foods are finger foods, and the correct usage is to eat them with your fingers. Spears of things (i.e. asparagus or french fries) and sandwiches are some of the most common, but other stuff, too.

Writing a French speaking Frasier who would vouvoy his bedpartners is overcorrecting in the same way, with someone trying so hard to show how wellbred that they fail.

[malnpudl.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I would think that Fraser would use the tu form in intimate relationships... but I think he'd be very much aware of this as a mark of intimacy, and that it would have meaning and erotic/emotional power -- that he'd get off on using it.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

I just read a story in which Fraser calls Ray(V) "thou". Of course, he (Fraser) was a merman, so that explains it. Um, yeah.

[mei-x.livejournal.com]

I'd say that he'd use "tu."

[aneli8.livejournal.com]

Oh, so it's not just my brain on crack? ;)

[aneli8.livejournal.com]

*DiesLaughing*

I understand all of those words separately, but... together? Wibble.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

That makes perfect sense, thank you!

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

[zvi-likes-tv.livejournal.com]

er, how wellbred they are that they fail, even

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Of course, he (Fraser) was a merman, so that explains it

Ahahahahahaha. Well, of course.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

That seems to be the reigning opinion!

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

that he'd get off on using it.

Ooh, that's a really interesting theory.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Nope! Just mostly your brain on crack.

[aneli8.livejournal.com]

Awesome. :)

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

Now I'm gonna have nightmares about the first ep of Doctor Who w/ the mannequins.

[damned-colonial.livejournal.com]

Nope, still tu. Really. You wouldn't use vous for anyone you called by their first name, and he hardly goes round calling her Ms Metcalf, does he?

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

i think fraser would vous victoria back in the day, and also when she shows up in chicago, but when she comes to his place she switches to tu in his mind at one of the following points: a) when she hits him; b) when he kisses her; c) when he puts his fingers in her mouth.

i think there's no doubt he's called ray vecchio tu from probably about the time they were in the dogsled chase, if not before; and he's called ray kowalski tu always, always, always.

i like what register can do to romantic relationships. marius calls eponine 'tu', but she calls him 'vous'. c'est si tragique!

[rhythmsextion]

If I had absolutely any idea about French, I might be able to answer this. But probably not even then.

In other news, so very amused by your Farscape flailing recently. Used to love that show so very much, but I haven't watched it in ages. Such a fantastic show.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Oh, seriously! So good!

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

i think fraser would vous victoria back in the day, and also when she shows up in chicago, but when she comes to his place she switches to tu in his mind at one of the following points: a) when she hits him; b) when he kisses her; c) when he puts his fingers in her mouth.

I like this very much!

I remember a point in one of the novels we read in French sophomore year, when the husband of the protagonist accuses her of using tu as a sort of shorthand for having an affair with another man (when actually she and the other man have been using vous with each other all along, and only ever use tu at the very end, before they both die forever because they didn't manage to get their true love together).

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

[reads it again] ... her fingers in his mouth, of course. but, yes. (you know, you'd think a person would be able to keep the pronouns straight when the people involved are of opposite genders, at least.)

:-D

[streetspirit18.livejournal.com]

I know this has been answered already, but he would definitely use "tu".

If you are in a sexual relationship and still using "vous", then you have intimacy problems. Or... you're trying to sound pretentious and snobbish, like my uncle and aunt who "vouvoient" themselves after 30+ years of marriage. "Ma chère, vous êtes magnifique, blah, blah, blah. *snort*