We should perhaps add that the literal meaning of the Japanese word usually translated as "him" ("kare") is actually "boyfriend there," and the literal meaning of the Japanese word usually translated as "her" ("kanojo") is, similarly, "girlfriend there."

Just caught up with this thread.

t-p is correct, of course: in English ('you'), we've actually retained the formal version. 'Thou' was the original informal version, although some people imagine otherwise because it sounds more 'archaic' (which they equate with formality) and also, I suspect, because they've heard it being used to address God or Jesus in prayers and hymns. Actually (again as t-p says), most if not all languages that retain the formal/informal distinction use the informal word for divine address.

I'm a bit confused by Reiner saying the Southern American 'y'all' is a polite plural. It's just a plural, surely - I agree a Texan would make a consistent distinction between 'you' and 'y'all' but it's only a distinction of number, not of formality, unless I've missed something.

Also worth mentioning that in German the singular informal form, 'du', is normally capitalised when writing a letter. I think this holds for emails too: I've certainly had emails written that way (which makes me realise, I've been addressed as 'Du' by press officers I've never heard from before: I never gave this a second thought at the time ...). In practice, even though the 'normal' spelling is 'du' with lower-case 'd', the only time I think you'd really see this in practice is in the representation of direct speech.

This I did not know. I have capitalized Du in my letters since I was wee. I am going to bed now, wiser.

It is funny how you can turn phrases in Russian language to avoide You (either one).

In Russian there is no formal structure (Noun, verb, the rest). You can use passive form that is not encouraged in English.

When I am uncomfortable saying informal you I can be successful for a while. But then it has to end (plus it becomes noticeable).

When this is happining it is even funny to me that I am doing it.

I can not think of an example now, but it is hard to explain.

After all what you will think if I say something like ; Restaurant to went yesterday we good time have.

When Russians speak Engles they really have to have discipline. They all know their verb, noun etc, but they can put them in different order. The order is not important because there are cases (seven cases in Russian).

 Ahm (clears throat, looks sheepish but ..picking up courage). As the instigator of this thread which has been very interesting and entertaining both on and off topic, ( and off topic I'd like to put in a vote for "Pale Fire" as one of the great novels of the 20c) may I with respect, deference and trepidation point out that no one has answered my original question. The joke "You can You me if you like" illustrates the question I was asking about translating English into German. In an English novel the moment must come when, had the characters been German, the "du" moment arrives (or rather when the translator in his wisdom decides it must have arrived). Does the translator insert a "You can du me" phrase, move fron Sie to du with no preamble or insert in parentheisis " here they agreed on to be on intimate terms"? As I said this moment in German to English translations always seems rather awkward. And by what means, other than instinct, does the translator gauge the moment has arrived? Sorry if I didn't explain myself very well or I have missed a pertinent post-in other words be gentle with me.

Most of the e-mails I've had in German have capitalised 'Du' (don't know what that says about the company I keep). Various Flemish friends have suggested to me that, if one does not speak Dutch, it's likely to meet with more approval there if you speak to someone in English rather than in French (after having made the mistake of trying the latter, including with taxi drivers).

I did wonder about that, but being just a year or two too young to have had to take those on board when I did my 'A'-levels I've somehow never quite got my head around those spelling reforms.

And Ted, yes, I did notice that no one had answered your question (and several people had answered a much simpler question which they imagined you to be asking! ), but I think the answer is that it can be quite difficult, but depending on the context there may or may not be some way around it, and alternatively a translator might decide it doesn't really matter. For example, if two characters change to 'du' (or 'tu' in French) after saying 'I love you', then the 'I love you' is probably sufficient to convey it in English. If it's a more subtle point being conveyed about familiarity/formality, you might change from the use of "Mr Bloggs" to "Fred" or something like that ... But there's no one solution, and sometimes there's no solution at all.