Treatment pronouns are used as alternatives to personal pronouns in more technical and formal languages.
Also known as axionyms, the treatment pronouns are usually used in formal communications, but they can also be used in informal conversations, less frequently.
Despite being used to indicate the interlocutor (ie, the second person), the treatment pronouns must be conjugated with verbs in the third person.
For example:“Can you lend me the your cell?" (right) / “Can you lend me the your cell?" (wrong).
In many regions of Brazil, the “you” (short for Vossa Mercê) is used as a personal pronoun, replacing the “tu”. However, grammatically the “you” must be classified as a treatment pronoun, and its conjugation must be made from the 3rd person.
Main Treatment Pronouns
There are several types of treatment pronouns, which must be used according to the appropriate context, profession or level of authority of the interlocutor.
Among the main treatment pronouns, the following stand out:
- You: it is often used in more informal communications. In Brazil, the “you” is still considered a replacement for the personal pronoun “tu”.
- Mr/Ms. (Mr./Ms): treatment pronoun used with strangers and when there is a level of formality in the relationship.
- Your Lordship (V.S.): used for authorities in general in ceremonial treatments.
Learn more about the meaning of your lordship.
- Your Excellency (V. Ex.): destined to the high authorities of the State (Judiciary, Legislative and Executive) and some military (general officers, for example). This treatment pronoun must be used in full (without abbreviations) when dealing with the President of the Republic.
- Your Magnificence (V.Mag.ª): for university deans.
- Your Holiness: treatment pronoun for the pope
- Your Most Reverend (V.Rev.): for priests in general.
- Your Eminence: (Your Eminence): used in communications with Cardinals.
See also: the meaning of Pronouns.