There's a series that started airing where I live, 謎解きはディナーのあとで, and along with greatly enjoying the style, I've been very fascinated by the butler's very formal manner of speaking. What I never got, though, was what powers お忘れなきよう, which is what he says after telling his mistress about what the main lesson she needs to take with her is. Does anyone know? Is it something along the lines of "Let us never speak of this again"?
asked Oct 28, 2013 at 22:47
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1 Answer
First, it is なきよう, not なきょう.
なき is a literary form of ない, and よう is the same as ように, which is often used at the end of a polite request.
お忘れなきよう ＝ お忘れのないようになさってください
In case you are not familiar with なさってください, it is a politer form of してください.
Therefore, the phrase means "Please do not forget."
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How does
なきcompare withございませんin terms of politeness? Often heard on trains/subway:お忘れ物がございませんよう、ご注意ください.– istrasciOct 29, 2013 at 4:07 -
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1@istrasci, なき is not polite, it's literary/archaic. なき in a train announcement would be out of place.– dainichiOct 30, 2013 at 0:47
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@Kaz The verb stem functions as noun, which can then be prefixed with the honorific お. no-ga conversion makes お忘れ が ないように into お忘れのないように. This is (now) the standard way to make a request into a polite request.– Earthliŋ ♦Nov 2, 2013 at 13:07