1pi and 1pe
1pi and 1pe are linguistic abbreviations for first person plural inclusive and first person plural exclusive respectively. Some languages, like Limbu, make this disctinction pretty thoroughly. Pronouns and verbs differ in form according to whether they "we, including you" is meant or "we, excluding you" is meant.
| anchi | we two (me + you) | 1di |
| anchige | we two (me + someone else, but not you) | 1de |
| ani | we two or more(me, someone(s) else + you) | 1pi |
| anige | we two or more (me + someone(s) else, but not you, who I'm talking to) | 1pe |
Source: A Grammar of Limbu, George van Driem, 1987
It is of this grammatical phenomenon that I have to think about every year, at Christmas when in Church the text "God is with us" is sung during the Grand Compline. For one thing, because, even after fourteen Orthodox Christmasses, my gut reaction is still "what -- with us, and not with everybody else?". Can't somebody fix that text?
Now, if we were Limbus, we'd probably sing "Mang anilummo yakma" -- and it would be crystal clear that the "us" of the text isn't some small exclusive we-group, some in-crowd, but an inclusive we.
| Mang | ani-lummo | yakma |
| God | 1pi-MIDST | be(LOC) |
| God is in our (inclusive) midst |
(Of course, that's what our text really means, God is with us on Earth, just-born, in person, so to speak. In the prosophon of the physical presence of the Son. Walking as a man amongs humanity. Limbu would, apparently, seem be really suited as a language for theological conversations.)