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On Tue, 5/5/15, Freelance Traveller <xxxxxx@freelancetraveller.com> wrote:

 Subject: [TML] Worldbuilding/Culturebuilding: Language
 To: xxxxxx@simplelists.com
 Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2015, 8:45 AM

[SNIP]

 * In the German medieval and renaissance periods, it has
 been suggested
 that nobles never gave orders directly to their servants.
 Instead, they
 would address others in the room, or even inanimate objects,
 and simply
 describe what the servant was required to do, e.g., 'She
 will bring
 brandy', 'He will bring the carriage to the door', 'She will
 escort the
 guest to her (the guest's) room', and so on.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I've seen something similar when reading or viewing (PBS import from England) books/videos typically depicting some aristocrat giving orders.

The 'lord of the manor' will be talking to a guest & then will say something like;
"I'll have the carriage brought around".
At which point an omnipresent servant hovering in the background will spring into action.

However, I've never seen the 'inanimate object' instance. If there's no one else in the room the lord will usually speak directly to the servant but it"s not unusual for the lord to NOT look directly AT the servant except for perhaps a slight glance.

I've also read/seen instances where the 'lord' will only directly address his personal butler with commands, even if the object of such command is also present. "Jeeves, have someone get 'such&such', would you?". At which point Jeeves will gesture to the 'someone' & they will speedily depart.

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