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Why would a computer use the familiar form? It seems to me that I would uncomfortable if a computer, or worse, a web interface actively maintained by team of strangers, started to address in language that suggested a certain level of intimacy.



It might just be my youngness and general disapproval of the polite form speaking here. I really think English has gone in the right direction by removing their polite form in favour of being polite without senseless grammatical contortions.


It's a minor point but actually English has only the polite form. Stiff upper lip, and all that. "Thou" is the singular, but it isn't used much any more.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thou#History




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