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The Japanese language makes use of a system of honorific speech, called keishō (敬称), which includes honorific suffixes and prefixes when talking to, or referring to others in a conversation. Suffixes are often gender-specific at the end of names, while prefixes are attached to the beginning of many nouns.
Japanese uses honorific constructions to show or emphasize social rank, social intimacy or similarity in rank. The choice of pronoun used, for example, will express the social relationship between the person speaking and the person being referred to, and Japanese often avoids pronouns entirely in favor of more explicit titles or kinship terms.
Pages in category "Japanese honorifics" The following 11 pages are in this category, out of 11 total. This list may not reflect recent changes. ...
In Japanese culture, social hierarchy plays a significant role in the way someone speaks to the various people they interact with on a day-to-day basis. [5] Choice on level of speech, politeness, body language and appropriate content is assessed on a situational basis, [6] and intentional misuse of these social cues can be offensive to the listener in conversation.
Miai (見合い, "matchmaking", literally "look meet"), or omiai (お見合い) as it is properly known in Japan with the honorific prefix o-, is a Japanese traditional custom which relates closely to Western matchmaking, in which a woman and a man are introduced to each other to consider the possibility of marriage.
Japanese children are taught to act harmoniously and cooperatively with others from the time they go to pre-school. This need for harmonious relationships between people is reflected in much Japanese behavior. Many place great emphasis on politeness, personal responsibility and working together for the universal, rather than the individual, good.
The Japanese honorific "san" can be used when speaking English but is never used when referring to one’s self. Japanese place surnames before given names but often reverse the order for the benefit of Westerners. [24] A smile or laughter from a Japanese person may mean that they are feeling nervous or uncomfortable, and not necessarily happy.
In addition to features of the Japanese language, uchi–soto also extends to social actions. For instance, in a Japanese home the most senior family member, usually the father or grandfather, normally takes a bath first; the rest of the family follows in order of seniority. A visitor to the home, however, is offered the first bath.