This can be seen in words such as neko-chan ( 猫ちゃん) which turns the common noun neko (cat) into a proper noun that would refer solely to that particular cat while adding the honorific -chan can also mean cute. While these honorifics are solely used on proper nouns, these suffixes can turn common nouns into appropriate nouns when attached to the end of them. Use of honorifics is correlated with other forms of honorific speech in Japanese, such as the use of the polite form ( -masu, desu) versus the plain form-that is, using the plain form with a polite honorific ( -san, -sama) can be jarring. Honorifics are not used to refer to oneself, except when trying to be arrogant ( ore-sama), to be cute ( -chan), or sometimes when talking to young children to teach them how to address the speaker. When referring to a third person, honorifics are used except when referring to one's family members while talking to a non-family member or when referring to a member of one's company while talking to a customer or someone from another company-this is the uchi–soto ( in-group / out-group) distinction. However, dropping honorifics is a sign of informality even with casual acquaintances. Some people of the younger generation, roughly born since 1970, prefer to be referred to without an honorific. Within sports teams or among classmates, where the interlocutors approximately are of the same age or seniority, it can be acceptable to use family names without honorifics. It is never used to refer to oneself, except for dramatic effect or some exceptional cases.ĭropping the honorific suffix when referring to one's interlocutor, which is known as to yobisute ( 呼び捨て), implies a high degree of intimacy and is generally reserved for one's spouse, younger family members, social inferiors (as in a teacher addressing students in traditional arts), close friends and confidants. However, it is dropped by some superiors when referring to one's in-group or informal writing. Japanese names traditionally follow the Eastern name order.Īn honorific is generally used when referring to the person one is talking to (one's interlocutor), or when referring to an unrelated third party in speech. In situations where both the first and last names are spoken, the suffix is attached to whichever comes last in the word order. They can be applied to either the first or last name depending on which is given. The paper concluded that honorifics have shifted from a basis in power dynamics to one of personal distance. A 2012 study from Kobe Shoin Women's University found that the use of honorific suffixes and other polite speech markers have increased significantly over time, while age, sex, and other social variables have become less significant. Usage in this respect has changed over time as well. Thus, the difference in politeness was a result of the average social station of women versus men as opposed to an inherent characteristic. For example, a 1986 study on the notion that Japanese women spoke more politely than men examined each sex's use of honorifics found that while women spoke more politely on average than men, both sexes used the same level of politeness in the same relative situation. The use of honorifics is closely related to Japanese social structures and hierarchies. The omission of suffixes implies a high degree of intimacy or close friendship.Īlthough honorifics are not essential to the grammar of Japanese, they are a fundamental part of its sociolinguistics, and their proper use is deemed essential to proficient and appropriate speech. Honorific suffixes are generally used when referring to the person one is talking to or unrelated people and are not used when referring to oneself. Honorific suffixes also indicated the speaker's level and referred an individual's relationship and are often used alongside other components of Japanese honorific speech. Suffixes are often gender-specific at the end of names, while prefixes are attached to the beginning of many nouns. The Japanese language makes use of a system of honorific speech, called keigo ( 敬語), which includes honorific suffixes and prefixes when referring to others in a conversation. It has been suggested that this article be merged into Honorific speech in Japanese.
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