Interpellation et enjeux de pouvoir dans les comédies et tragédies latines

In ancient Latin comedies and tragedies, the characters frequently address each other using vocatives. As these texts are meant for the stage, the address forms aim first at helping the audience to identify the characters speaking and understanding the relations of power between them. Depending on the literary genre, they have different uses. As far as the comedy is concerned, the address terms are especially efficient regarding the progress of the plot since they give the speaker a way to influence the addressee’s actions. They indicate the rank of the different characters on a vertical scale and help to understand how the speaker views himself and the addressee (titles are especially efficient in this regard). A well chosen vocative may help to redress a FTA or reinforce a FFA. It also has a phatic function and contributes to maintaining contact between speaker and addressee. By naming the addressee, the speaker acknowledges and welcomes him. Let us add that, as the language register of the Latin comedy is close to conversational language, characters use generally one-word addresses, such as names or the second person pronoun tu. The tragic characters, on the other hand, have to keep with a mythical story whose outcome is ineluctable and well known to the audience. They usually choose long periphrases to summon the addressees, thus recalling their family history and their ancestors. They tend to use very formal address terms