On Thu, Aug 17, 2017 at 11:11 AM, mayqel qunenoS <mihkoun@gmail.com> wrote:
SuStel:
An exception—at least in English—would be if person A used an endearment of person B while talking to person C; person C would be justified in repeating the endearment, as > it is in the context of being what person A would say. A: *choHIvchugh vavoywI' vIja'!* C: *vavoylI' Daja'chugh qaHIvqa'.*
However the question remains..
A uses an endearment of person B while talking to person C; person C repeats the endearment.
Is there a possibility that person C, in his effort to recreate what person A would say, is actually showing endearment too toward person B ? Perhaps even if he doesn't want to ?
Repeating a term of endearment that's been introduced into the conversation doesn't necessarily mean you also feel that endearment. If a small child comes up to me at a large gathering and asks {SoSoywI' Daleghpu''a'?} "Have you seen my mommy?" and I reply {jISovbe'. SoSoylI' yIDel.} "I don't know. What's your mommy look like?", I'm not expressing endearment for the child's mother. I'm merely repeating the term they've already used to refer to her. If I were worried about inappropriately showing endearment towards the child's mother, I would just not repeat the {-oy}: {jISovbe'. SoSlI' yIDel.}