Timelyn
Kouhai
- 22 Mar 2016
- 73
- 12
- 23
My sensei has been telling us a pretty strange concept about politeness in the Japanese grammar. I would like to here your thoughts on her explanation (I'm having a hard time finding it on the web with the names she used for the concepts).
She basically told us there were two forms of polite distance in the verb forms and such: vertical and horizontal. When the other person is an equal in ''class'' but still a stranger you use horizontal politeness. When it is a superior/inferior in ''class'' you use vertical politeness.
Outside of books and official grammar, how is this actually used in Japanese? Does it even make any sense?
She also told us that a wife would speak to its husband using vertical politeness, being her the one considered ''inferior''. She didn't even flinch when explaning it, but we all found it pretty sexist. It makes me doubt if she actually explained the concept to us properly. If so, how is this seen by the Japanese?
In Spanish there are some sexist grammar situations and they are currently being a source of constant (and heated) debate.
She basically told us there were two forms of polite distance in the verb forms and such: vertical and horizontal. When the other person is an equal in ''class'' but still a stranger you use horizontal politeness. When it is a superior/inferior in ''class'' you use vertical politeness.
Outside of books and official grammar, how is this actually used in Japanese? Does it even make any sense?
She also told us that a wife would speak to its husband using vertical politeness, being her the one considered ''inferior''. She didn't even flinch when explaning it, but we all found it pretty sexist. It makes me doubt if she actually explained the concept to us properly. If so, how is this seen by the Japanese?
In Spanish there are some sexist grammar situations and they are currently being a source of constant (and heated) debate.