Panamanian <em>Voseo</em>: Current Situation and Attitudes Towards its Use

Abstract

The present study tries to trace, at a pilot, empirical level, the situation in which the adressing pronun of vos is nowadays in Panama, and how it is used and perceived in some regions of this country, particularly in the western half of the territory. Furthermore, this study tries to measure some attitudes towoards the use of this adressing pronoun. In order to achieve this goal, surveys were carried out in the provinces of Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos, as well as two regions where traditionally the pronun tú has been used, such as Chiriqui and Panama City, in order to weigh the reception of vos in these areas. This study reveals uses and attitudes that to a large extent contrast with previous studies on this issue; according to our results, there is currently a growing respect for the use of vos.