148 CHAPTER 3. MORE GRAMMAR
plain form, sentence:
”How old is (your son/daughter)”In the plain form sentence, we can drop the fact that we’re asking
this in relation to some child, because the use of should be enough
information for the listener to figure this out. Being much shorter than the
honorific form, we once more see a confirmation of the rule of thumb when
it comes Japanese: the longer a statement is, the more formal polite it will
be.
As with the humble paĴern, there is no change in actual meaning
when going from plain form to honorific other than ruling single person
out as implied actor or subject (since one cannot honour oneself, single or
plural).
(I/he/she/you/we/they) refuse(s). (informal)(I/he/she/you/we/they) refuse(s). (formal polite)(I/he/she/you/we/they) refuse(s). (using noun form + , more for-
mal than formal polite)(He/she/you/they) refuses. (plain honorific. As this is honorific form,
this can no longer apply to first person single or plural)(He/she/you/they) refuses. (polite honorific)(He/she/you/they) refuses. (plain, but more honorific than when us-
ing + )(He/she/you/they) refuses. (polite and more honorific than when us-
ing + )