Abstract

The French pronoun system presents a particular difficulty for English-speaking learners of French with the distinction between the second person pronouns tu and vous. In textbooks, these pronouns are typically described in terms of politeness or formality but the reality is much more complex. In addition, the pronouns interact with address terms such as first name, title + last name and title + first name, which give the system further complexity. While the language structures involved are simple, the cultural context in which they are deployed is complex and involves an understanding of how interpersonal relationships are constructed and communicated through the French language. This paper will explore students' learning of aspects of the French address system from an intercultural perspective and examine the ways in which learners come to construct their own personal understandings of interpersonal relationships as they are represented in and through French.