The Mailer Review/Volume 13, 2019/Mailer in Translation: The Naked and the Dead: Difference between revisions

In French, the “''tu''” form is used with family, among students and intimates, and in prayer. {{efn|In modern English usage (except for the Quakers) the second person singular,“thou”is not used; however, it still occurs in prayers: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou . . .”.; poetry; Shakespeare; and the Bible.}} In addition, Malaquais often contracts the form: the “u” in “''tu''” is dropped and elides it with the verb: instead of “''tu as''” (you have) the character speaking often says “''t’as''” (think “gonna” “wanna”), which is colloquial speech. The familiar form underscores the register of language used among the soldiers and is especially salient when men are preparing for battle, are vulnerable, and their nerves are strained. They are also equals in terms of their existential situation. Another colloquial way of speaking is to omit the first part of the negative, the “''ne''”. There are two parts to a negative in French: ''ne'' + verb + ''pas'', so “''je n’ai pas''” (I don’t have) becomes “''j’ai pas''”. ''Je “n’ai pas d’argent''” (I don’t have any money) becomes “''j’ai pas d’argent''.”