あなた

[eeky]

Is it possible for あなた to mean "you" in the English sense of "one" or "people in general"? I would have thought not, but in one or two places in the book I'm reading it seems to be used in that way. I'm thinking it could be a mistranslation (original English has "you" in the sense of "one", e.g. in a phrase like "you'd think that ...", but translator misunderstood "you" as meaning the person being addressed).

 

[Mike Cash]

I suspect a mistranslation.

 

[Toritoribe]

It's possible when it's said to the readers mostly in written language, as similar meaning as 自分. In other words, if the speaker is talking to a specific person, あなた is hardly used in this meaning.

 

[Mike Cash]

Specific instances would be nice.

 

[eeky]

Thanks. It is not addressed to the reader but in dialogue (one person in the story talking to another person in the story).

 

[Toritoribe]

あなたはあなたの家族を選べないが、友を選ぶことはできる。（＝ 人は自分の家族を選べないが、）

Thanks. It is not addressed to the reader but in dialogue (one person in the story talking to another person in the story).

Then, that would be mistranslation, as Mike-san wrote.