Pluralformal
Pluralformal is a term used in sociolinguistics to describe the practice of signaling formality, respect, or social distance through the use of plural forms in address or agreement. The concept covers situations where plural pronouns, verb forms, or other pluralized grammatical markers are employed in formal speech, even when the referent is singular, as well as the use of plural forms when addressing multiple persons in a formal register. The term is often applied to cross-linguistic patterns that involve a T-V distinction, where a plural form carries politeness value, but it can also encompass broader strategies that leverage plural morphology to convey deference.
In languages with a explicit T-V distinction, pluralformal manifests in several ways. Some languages use a second-person
Factors influencing pluralformal include social hierarchy, professional context, and intercultural norms. Its use can vary by
See also: politeness theory, T-V distinction, honorifics, royal we.