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Job designations as vocatives
Some job designations that, according to Combrink (1982:14), have not been
elevated to titles for those that qualitY, can be used as affective vocatives for the nonqualifYing
e.g.
"Geneesheer, genees jouself."
(Doctor, heal yourself.)
" Skoenmaker, hou jou by jou lees."
(Shoemaker, stick to your anvil i.e. mind your own business)
Social status, age, gender, etc determine what kind of name will be used when
referring to a
person or addressing him. If a person being addressed is of a higher
status or when the people talking don't know each other very well, then the formal title
and surname is used. Ifa person ofhigher status is mentioned by nickname, first name
or surname, it is a sign ofdisrespect.
Doke (1968:279) mentions three types ofwhat he calls "common inteIjections":
(i) InteIjections ofassent:
Yebo}
Ehe} YES
And negation:
H(h) ayi h(h)ayibo }
Chachabo}
Qha qhabo} NO
(ii) Exclamations ofwonder, fear, annoyance, etc.
Pronouns as vocatives
The Afukaans pronouns jy- you (singular, informal) and julle-you (plural,
informal) can be used as vocatives e.g.:
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