After my super embarrassing moment at the kiné this week, I've been riled up about le vous - or rather, the vouvoiement. However, I feel a slight sense of victory this evening as I watch the Socialist primaries à la télévision. Martine Aubry and François Hollande, the left candidates for the upcoming French presidential elections, ARE USING THE "TU" WITH EACH OTHER!!!
This may not seem like a big deal - they obviously know each other, they are equals and are even a part of the same political party. However, French tradition shows us that candidates never use the "tu" during televised debates. Candidates formally "vouvoyer" each other as they heatedly discuss the economy, unemployment and the debt! Perhaps this is because Martine and François are from the same party - perhaps they would use the "vous" with Nicholas Sarkozy (who is from the right).
Watch Ségolène Royal and Nicholas Sarkozy use the almighty "vous" in this debate from 2007. Such good actors they are!
I think I will be forever baffled by the tu, the vous and François Hollande's make up.
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