Affixes, particles and conjugations applied to words to mark respect.
3
votes
1answer
165 views
With whom to use different honorific forms? 丁寧語より尊敬語・謙譲語・丁重語
With whom is it considered proper to use 尊敬語・謙譲語・丁重語 instead of 丁寧語?
I mean saying おいでになります・伺います・参ります instead of 行きます.
The often given example is for a service-person speaking with a customer, but ...
2
votes
1answer
201 views
Who are Mrs. Fuji and Mrs. Gas?
Is there any etymological relationship between the -さん suffix in 富士山 or 月山 and the -さん suffix you put at the end of a person's name? Or are they unrelated?
3
votes
1answer
175 views
Verbs which are more frequently used to built the honorific passive forms
I'd like to ask you a question about this honorific form. I will give an example as detailed as possible to make this question clear.
The verb yomu is often used in passive form to show respect:
...
5
votes
1answer
143 views
What's the difference between お待ちになる and 待たれる?
I know they're both polite ways to use a verb, but my materials never taught me what unique traits each one has. Is it just the tone, or is there more to it?
2
votes
1answer
189 views
Do demons get any special honorifics?
Do demons get any special honorifics put after their names?
I'm wanting to say to a Finnish person studying English and Japanese
If Lordi-(honorific for demon) can manage English, I think you can
...
16
votes
4answers
397 views
Appropriate ただいま-like greeting for a neighbor?
I frequently pass by an elderly neighbor who lives in the same apartment when coming home from a dog walk. He's kind of an in-house carpenter for the building and is frequently seen around the garage. ...
9
votes
1answer
492 views
Is -さん used when referring to a celebrity or historical figures?
When referring to a celebrity or historical figure, do you use -さん?
I am listening to Yoko Shimomura.
Would it be:"下村陽子さんを聞いている。"?
Abraham Lincoln is my favorite president.
Would it ...
7
votes
1answer
117 views
Is it normal to put さん after an internet handle?
Is it ok to put さん after an internet handle, such as a twitter name or a username?
My suspicion is that you'd avoid adding さん if it'd confuse the software, and that addressing someone by their ...
4
votes
1answer
98 views
Use of 「元」in honorifics
While reading this bit of news, I noticed that the article used an interesting type of "honorific":
京都大学院薬学研究科の辻本豪三・元教授（５９）が医療機器販売会社（東京都世田谷区）から私的な旅行費用などの肩代わりを受けていた問題で [...]
Although the ...
7
votes
2answers
237 views
Why does お[馬鹿]{ばか}さん contain honorific お?
Why does お[馬鹿]{ばか}さん contain an honorific? If you're basically calling someone silly, why be "polite" about it? Also, what is the difference in meaning between お馬鹿さん and just 馬鹿 (I hear the former ...
4
votes
2answers
195 views
「様」vs「殿」, which is more respectful?
Ammy claims that 殿 is more respectful than 様:
様 -sama: a respectful honorific used for those of a higher social standing
殿 -dono: even more respectful than -sama, less likely ...
1
vote
1answer
203 views
Why does “お侍ちゃん” sound funny?
I recently noticed a Japanese comedian named お侍ちゃん. It indeed sounds funny. Why is it?
5
votes
2answers
72 views
When to use -さん after an occupation?
When do you use さん after a occupation? For example, would you say "札幌に行って、プログラマーにあいます" or "札幌に行って、プログラマーさんにあいます" to say "I am going to Sapporo, and meeting some programmers?"
Is it used to indicate ...
10
votes
3answers
495 views
Why is water polite but ice not?
I was amused by, and interested in, this little sign on a water dispenser in a sandwich shop:
The options are that you can have ice only, ice and water, or just water.
What intrigued me was that ...
9
votes
3answers
350 views
Are honorifics used for dead people?
Are honorifics used for dead people? For example, would チンギス・カン have something after the name (presumably not just a mere さん!) when you're not referring to the dish?
4
votes
1answer
333 views
Honorific form of i-adjectives (e.g. はやい → おはよう) [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
～うございます - keigo い-adjectives
I still remember the introductory lecture of the first Japanese course I took in college, my sensei told the class that おはようございます does not ...
9
votes
3answers
207 views
Is it appropriate to use [先生]{せんせい} when addressing a ski instructor?
Is it appropriate to use [先生]{せんせい}, either by itself or as an honorific after their name, when addressing a ski instructor?
I'm not sure whether it'd be appropriate because:
Using 先生 in this ...
15
votes
2answers
266 views
Is the title ～[殿]{どの} used in modern day japanese?
Is the title ～[殿]{どの} used in modern day Japanese? If so, which people can you use it with? I've only really seen it come across in referring to [大]{だい}[名]{みょう} (feudal lords). Also it is applicable ...
12
votes
7answers
1k views
When should one add さん at the end of a name?
I've heard some names pronounced with an added さん such as 佐々木さん and some without. I believe it is related to respect or the age of the person named. What would be the guidelines or general principles ...
6
votes
4answers
336 views
does anyone know of any o-words or go-words which are absolutely neutral?
Does anyone know of any o-words or go-words which are absolutely neutral (have no nuances of being polite / courteous / respectful / womanly / cute etc etc)?
The only ones I'm aware of currently is ...
12
votes
1answer
422 views
Honorific prefix 「ご」 vs 「お」
Some nouns take the 「ご」 prefix:
ご両親 {りょうしん}
ご家族 {かぞく}
ご無事 {ぶじ}
ご安心 {あんしん}
ご丁寧 {ていねい}
While many others take the 「お」 prefix:
お母さん
お仕事 {しごと}
お月 {つき}
お内 {うち}
お客 {きゃく}
In ...
10
votes
2answers
343 views
Why is the honorific o used for the bathroom?
I've seen the honorific "o"/"go" (is it called bikago?) being used as politness or reverence: o-cha for non-western tea, o-namae when talking about someone else's name, o-genki instead of just genki, ...
7
votes
4answers
379 views
What is the correct usage of 承知しました, 了解です and かしこまりました, the more formal forms of 分かる?
At work, it is wrong to simply say 分かる to say that you understand something. In what situation should I opt to use one of the previously mentioned forms?
9
votes
1answer
381 views
Usage of お+[verb stem]+する for humble form and お+[verb stem]+になる for honorific form
Apart from using verb-specific humble and honorific versions (e.g. 参る < 行く < いらっしゃる), the general method of turning a verb into humble is by using お+[verb stem aka 連用形]+する while the general ...
10
votes
5answers
392 views
Using Japanese honorifics with non-kana names
Some Japanese websites have no problem addressing me as Amandaさん, but how common is this in human-produced Japanese? Under what circumstances would someone refer to someone else as Amandaさん, בועזくん, ...
5
votes
1answer
260 views
How to invoke God/spirits in Japanese
No, this is not about any Buddhist chant or mantra that can be used to call forth Japanese gods or heavenly spirits, but rather about any specialized words or interjections that attract attention of ...
5
votes
1answer
114 views
Is the regular form of verbs with irregular polite/honorific forms still grammatical?
Hi all I was wondering for verbs with irregular polite/honorific forms, is the regular form still used/grammatical ?
For example, the humble form of 借りる is 拝借する. But would お借りする be acceptable ?
...
14
votes
1answer
214 views
General applicability of the ～ませ conjugation
I have only found the ～ませ conjugation used in the following honorific verbs:
いらっしゃいませ
くださいませ
なさいませ
Can the conjugation be applied to other honorific verbs, like おっしゃいませ or めしあがりませ?
Or even common ...
7
votes
2answers
127 views
When do you use -san about a company?
I assume you don't -san about the company or organization that employs you, on the grounds it'd be akin to using it about your own family members.
But when is it usually used? Is it merely when ...
9
votes
3answers
252 views
What honorifics are used with nicknames?
What honorifics, if any, are used with nicknames?
For example, would Matz-san (for Yukihiro Matsumoto) make sense (at least coming from someone new to Japanese), or would the mixture of the slightly ...
9
votes
4answers
197 views
Is the use of 先生 and similar titles context sensitive?
While it is generally safe to use -さん when taking to someone and the use of -先生 is appropriate for use in a school environment when talking to a teacher, would the use of -先生 carry over outside of the ...
8
votes
4answers
166 views
When is a person referred to with 様 in the mass media and what does it signify?
In media like TV and newspapers, it appears certain classes of people can be referred to with the honorific "様":
The Imperial family:
皇太子殿下と美智子さま The Crown Prince and Michiko-sama
Celebrities ...
7
votes
2answers
478 views
芸能人・スポーツ選手・公人に「さん」などの敬称を付けなくてもよい理由は?
Reasons for omitting titles like 'さん' after names of entertainers, performers and public figures
「記者ハンドブック 新聞用字用語集」によると、
運動、芸能欄などのスポーツ選手、芸能人には敬称をつけない
[出典]
...
11
votes
2answers
161 views
The use of -さん when answering about oneself
If someone says,
あなた は Chris-さん です か。
Are you Chris?
Do you answer
Chris です
Or
Chris-さん です
Thanks
