An introduction to Japanese - Syntax, Grammar & Language

(Joyce) #1

146 CHAPTER 3. MORE GRAMMAR


3.3.2 Honorific (paĴerns).


While speech pertaining to oneself are humbled, things pertaining to the
person of higher social status are elevated by using honorific paĴerns. Sim-
ilar to how verbs can be made humble by using the + + /
paĴern, nearly all verbs can be made honorific by using a similar paĴern
involving + , or rather than / :


verb + + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +

verb + + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +
+ + + + +

Again, there are several verbs for which this paĴern is essentially
inferior to use an appropriate honorific counterpart instead:


verb meaning honorific counterpart

come

go

be/exist (for animate objects)

say/be called
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