Re: "...Frequently used words are resistant to change."

edgy wrote:
Evan Monroig wrote:
Ben Finney <bignose+hates-spam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
I don't recall 「僕」 used in anything but the first person in any of
my study material. Can you show something on the Web that I can see
its usage in second or third person?
I don't know all contexts in which that is used, but I remember the
first time I heard it (that was on TV I think) the person was talking to
a little boy, something like 「僕はどうした？」

Evan

This is the only context that I can think of - perhaps if I come across
a little boy who seems distressed (and I don't know his name) I might
ask the question above. The reason I would ask it like this would be
that it may be easier for the boy to understand (although that reasoning
doesn't stand up very well in English I think). I couldn't see myself
asking a similar questions with watashi or atashi or watakushi...

My father-in-law would sometimes use "watashi" to mean me, particularly
if I'd just used it to mean me.
.

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