Honorific speech in Japanese

A central element of the Japanese language is the Keigo (敬 语Japanese ), the polite language. The modern German knows the formal difference between the levels "you" and " you " in Japanese, this system is complex. The main idea is, the other party and any third parties to show respect towards while you practice on yourself with respect modesty. The language is very rich in nuances, with smooth transitions between the different politeness levels.

The politeness moves on two rails. The first is the Uchi - Soto relationship, such as indoor-outdoor relationship. The modesty refers not only to the speaker itself, but also on what part of the area of the speaker 's own family, the department in the company or the entire company to a customer. To an outsider, against respect is testified.

Within the Uchi - circle contrast, there is a hierarchy, such as occupational status, age or generations of a family. Here is the polite language is used to show a respect towards superiors.

A similar extensive system of polite language also has the Korean language.

Use is Keigo still at formal occasions, in politics and in business; when talking to customers is expected of employees, the use of Keigo. This is in today's everyday life mainly to a repertoire of solid formulations - a flawless mastery of Keigo in free conversation, few can claim to be Japanese.

The forms of politeness language

The general Japanese term for the language levels of polite about reverent and humble to vulgar is taigūhyōgen (待遇 表现). Part of it is the area of ​​polite language, the so-called Keigo (敬 语), literally " respectful language". The forms are divided into three broad categories: teineigo (丁宁 语), the neutral polite language comparable to the German "Sie", sonkeigo (尊敬 语), respectful language, kensongo (谦逊 语) or kenjōgo (谦 譲 语) the modest language. Each of these levels. Their synonyms for certain terms, phrases own, own Anredesuffixe own personal pronouns and especially its own rules of conjugation

Sonkeigo and Kenjōgo are a pair of opposites that complement each other: Does the statement on the other party or a third party, Sonkeigo used. Does the statement on the speaker himself, or his uchi - range, Kenjōgo is used instead. Formal per the situation, and the greater the difference in the hierarchy, the more both Sonkeigo and Kenjōgo is used.

Teineigo

The Teineigo form will always be used under adult if neither a special familiarity yet a hierarchical relationship with the opposite exists, therefore, for example, in conversation with acquaintances, as a customer in the store or if you ask for directions. Even TV presenters use this politeness level. Language courses teach the Teineigo forms often first, ahead of the basic forms of the verbs.

Grammatically, the Teineigo forms are mainly characterized by the use of desu and masu. Within the Teineigo there next desu and masu two upscale style levels, the de arimasu and the de gozaimasu style. The use of these forms is mainly a question of education and formality.

The Höflichkeitspräfixe "o" and "go" only in some fixed terms ( ocha - tea; obento - Lunchbox ) and used in phrases. Some nouns exist Teineigo forms. These are, for example, otoko, " man ", and onna, "woman." In the neutral politeness level is here instead dansei and josei otoko no hito or onna no hito and used.

Sonkeigo ( respectful language )

The Sonkeigo is used to express respect for the other party or third parties. In an appropriately formal or professional environment Sonkeigo is always appropriate. Firstly, it is used to express hierarchy differences when supervisors, professors and other senior persons are addressed. On the other Sonkeigo is used when a soto relationship between the interlocutors is, for example between two employees of different companies that interact with each other for business. Employees in companies and transactions are explicitly trained to use proper honorifics to their customers.

On the Sonkeigo level almost every phrase can be supplemented or replaced by politeness. Due to the number of substitutions can be the strength of politeness "regulate" to exaggerated Süßholzraspelei.

• Personal pronouns are no longer used in polite language, instead, people with names, titles, addresses, or both. The suffix - sama -san instead is used only in fixed phrases such as okyaku - sama ("Customer" ) or against real respect people like Nobel Prize winners.

• Things that stand in relation to the interlocutor will be o-or go- provided with the Höflichkeitspräfix. For some objects, concepts, there are fixed polite synonyms ( see table). Also adjectives can be prefixed, in some fixed phrases, it is always present, such as o- genki desu ka? ( " How are you ?").

The biggest change learn the verbs. There are several ways and degrees:

• Verbs in the Kun - reading will be replaced by On- reading Sino Japanese Suru verbs with similar meaning. These are considered stylistically sophisticated.

• There are a number of commonly used verbs that have fixed matches in the Sonkeigo. These are couples like suru → nasaru and hanasu → ossharu. In some cases, several verbs are replaced by the same Sonkeigo verb, such as iku, kuru and iru → irassharu. A detailed list provides the table in the Overview section of replacements.

• Where no fixed replacement exists, can be a Sonkeigo shape with the Höflichkeitspräfix o-, the Renyōkei, the particle ni and the verb naru ( become ) form. In Suru verbs, there is the alternative form nasaru go- stem .

• Another possibility is the indirect formulation about the passive voice. From "Have you read it? " ( Yomimashita ka? ) Is " Has it been read? " ( Yomaremashita ka? )

Kenjōgo ( humble language )

Kenjōgo as a counterpart to Sonkeigo is used to express facts that relate to the speaker himself. The entire Uchi - range of the speaker considered to belong to him. A speaker who speaks against his neighbors about his own son, uses the Kenjōgo form. A company employee who uses the Kenjōgo forms when talking to a customer about his own company, even if it concerns the really highly placed own superiors. The Uchi - Soto relationship here takes precedence over the hierarchy.

As the Sonkeigo is marked mainly by the exchange of verbs and special conjugation also Kenjōgo. There are also a number of fixed substitutions as suru → itasu, iu → MOSU. Again, these forms have solidified in certain idioms, such as dō itashimashite ( " you're welcome " ) and itadakimasu (Thanks formula before starting to eat ).

Similar to the Sonkeigo can be formed by o - Renyōkei suru the Kenjōgo - form of a verb when no fixed replacement exists. A common expression is derived from motsu ( "carry" ), o- mochi shimasu ( " May I take it? "). O matase Shimashita ("I have kept you waiting " ) is derived from matsu ( " wait " ), the causative is used mataseru.

Anredesuffixe are Respektsbezeugungen, so they are left basically fall when the speaker refers to himself or the uchi - range, which is also true for Kenjōgo. If it is necessary to clarify the hierarchical position of a person that can happen with the attribute particle no.

Kenjōgo (employee provides his own head the company's outside people before )

For comparison: Sonkeigo (employee represents the boss of another company his own people before )

As to the level of respect is also available in the modesty own vocabulary. The word hito (人; person), is to mono (者). Many Kenjōgo synonyms express modesty, by replacing neutral expressions through words with negative connotations. Thus tazuneru (訪ねる), "visit" to o- jama suru (お 邪魔 する) "stalk ", such as in the phrase o- jama shimasu, which is used when you enter as a guest house. The German equivalent is " Thanks for the hospitality ", literally it means " I bothering you ." If such phrases to be translated literally, it sounds exaggerated or inappropriate ironic.

Overview of replacements

All verbs in the table are listed in the basic form ( Shūshikei ). In the polite language they are used in the masu form. A blank cell indicates that there is no specific replacement for the appropriate form of the verb.

Written language

In the written language Keigo is used in every form of written correspondence. Similar to the German " Dear " and " yours truly " exist in the Japanese a whole lot of Keigo expressions that serve as standard phrases in letters. As in the conversation also applies in letters that the addressee against Sonkeigo is used, while related to the author statements are kept in Kenjōgo.

Newspaper articles and non-fiction, however, use any pleasantries. Here the neutral held de - aru - style is applied.

Criticism

The tripartite division shown has been criticized by Tokieda Motoki (时 枝 诚 记). The division between sonkeigo and kenjōgo due deference and servility was unnecessary. It handle these means about how the speaker high and low look ( the fabric). Instead, the honorativen language resources were in two categories: 1) Shi ( independent words, so jiritsugo ) for exemplary object and 2) ji ( dependent words, fuzokugo ) for exemplary subject, divided. The Shi- category is to divide the one in determining the relationship between the fabric and fabric and on the other, the determination between the speaker and the fabric. In the Ji- category, the situational Honorifica fall ( keiji ) whose subject -like terms show the the speaker to the addressee directly respect shown, that show the relationship between the two.