Plain/Polite, 日本語とDeutsch
The German language also has a plain and polite form. It only affects verb conjugations though, not adjectives and nouns. The circumstances in which one uses plain and polite are very similar to Japanese: you use polite form (Sie) for people you've just met, your boss, and for your elders. The plain form (Du) is used for friends and among family. You can tell a lot about people's relationships with one another and where they fit in the social hierarchy by how they address each other, as "Sie" or "Du" (both mean "you"). There is also a plural polite form, to address more than one person.
In German though, you can tell someone directly to use the plain form with you "Du kannst mit mir dutzen." This you will do if you can tell someone is unsure whether they should continue addressing you in the Sie form or if they should start using the Du form.
Can you do the same in Japanese? After how long or under what circumstances can one switch from polite to plain form when addressing people?
People often say that their are many affinities between Japanese and German culture, such as the importance placed on order and cleanliness. Polite and Plain forms of speech must be another one.
In German though, you can tell someone directly to use the plain form with you "Du kannst mit mir dutzen." This you will do if you can tell someone is unsure whether they should continue addressing you in the Sie form or if they should start using the Du form.
Can you do the same in Japanese? After how long or under what circumstances can one switch from polite to plain form when addressing people?
People often say that their are many affinities between Japanese and German culture, such as the importance placed on order and cleanliness. Polite and Plain forms of speech must be another one.
posted by pickle at 11:02 PM
4 Comments:
とてもおもしろいですね。I have my own answer to your question in the third paragraph, but I'll wait for others' responses. Actually, I'm interested in your answer. What do you think?
Hmm . . . I am not sure when in Japanese one would switch from using the polite form to the plain form. I am not sure if Japanese people would explicitly say, "You may use the plain form with me," or "Let us speak in the plain form with each other." But, the switch has to come at some point. Maybe the older person in the relationship signals that a certain level of familiarity has been reached by himself/herself first using the plain form, and then the other person just follows suit?
I suppose you're right. Keep in mind that there are individual differences, but I think people in lower social status wouldn't ask those in higher social status if they could use the plain form/casual style with them.
Whether or not to use polite style is determined not only by age, but by other factors such as experience (e.g., how many years you've been at a certain workplace). I would use polite style to those younger than I am if they work longer than I do. Only when they say it's OK to use casual style, then, I would switch.
Good post.
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