Address in Katu

Abstract

Address is a common language act in communication. However, each ethnic group has its own vocative system. This article has the purpose of clarifying the vocative system and the cultural characteristics expressed through the vocatives of the Co Tu people. Research results show that there are many means used as vocatives among Co Tu people, but the main role belongs to the pronouns. In different situations of communication, when addressing others Co Tu people can use many different vocatives such as:personal pronouns, kinship terms, first name, etc. But when self referring, they always use first person sigular and plural  pronoun (aku - I, zươ – we (first-second person in dual and plural), azi – we (first-second person plural). Therefore, the most prominent feature of Co Tu's vocatives is the equality between the communicative roles. Besides this feature, the vocatives of the Co Tu people are also associated with a number of other factors such as whether the members participating in the communication have children or beong to the same lineage or not.