Mother?

maxiewawa · 20 Nov 2005

What's going on???

I realise that you can't use 'okaasan' in all situations. It's for "other family" situations. My text book says that 'haha' is for "my family" situations. But I haven't ever heard these family names used as I think they should.

Instead of 'my mother', you would say 'haha'. Instead of 'your/her mother' you'd say 'okaasan'. Am I right?

In my textbook, a character calls his own mother 'okaasan'. I'm in the middle of watching 'Steamboy' but the 'okaasan' problem keeps bothering me.

In one part, the girl in the red dress says that she has 5 mothers. One for feeding her, one for reading bedtime stories etc. I'm just a beginner, but I am savvy enough to hear her repeat 'okaasan' five times.

Also, Steamboy's father and grandfather are mentioned often (by Steamboy himself), but seem to always be 'otoosan'.

What's going on? Should she not have said 'haha' since it is her own five mothers?

*confused*

Elizabeth · 20 Nov 2005

maxiewawa said:
What's going on???

I realise that you can't use 'okaasan' in all situations. It's for "other family" situations. My text book says that 'haha' is for "my family" situations. But I haven't ever heard these family names used as I think they should.

Instead of 'my mother', you would say 'haha'. Instead of 'your/her mother' you'd say 'okaasan'. Am I right?

In my textbook, a character calls his own mother 'okaasan'. I'm in the middle of watching 'Steamboy' but the 'okaasan' problem keeps bothering me.

In one part, the girl in the red dress says that she has 5 mothers. One for feeding her, one for reading bedtime stories etc. I'm just a beginner, but I am savvy enough to hear her repeat 'okaasan' five times.

Also, Steamboy's father and grandfather are mentioned often (by Steamboy himself), but seem to always be 'otoosan'.

What's going on? Should she not have said 'haha' since it is her own five mothers?

*confused*

You don't use "otoosan" or "okaasan" when speaking outside the family about your own parents, but I think it is most common within the family. 家庭で、呼ぶときに、「母、父」と呼びかける事はありません。

Of course these aren't rules etched in stone. Some Japanese do call their own mother's 'haha' and use 'okaasan' in front of others, but they are definately the exceptions.

(O)kaachan, mama, ofukuro, okaasama and maybe some others are also possible for your own mother and "haha," or "ofukuro" I suppose, are most common when referring to her with others.

NANGI · 20 Nov 2005

Konnichiwa maxiewawa-san!

"Chichi" and "Haha" are polite words of "Otousan(father)" and "Okaasan(mother)". If you speak with your boss or senior person, you should use "chichi" or "Haha" but not "Otousan, Okaasan". If you use "Otousan" or "Okaasan", your boss judge you are rudeness or ignorance.

But if you speak with your friend or near relation, you are not necessary to use polite words.

NANGI

maxiewawa · 21 Nov 2005

Ahh I get it (I think).

So to say that one would use 母 in all situations save for when talking directly to mum is overkill, right?

Elizabeth · 21 Nov 2005

maxiewawa said:
Ahh I get it (I think).

So to say that one would use 母 in all situations save for when talking directly to mum is overkill, right?

I had thought that was only the trend among some young people -- although in the past (Edo times), I believe haha was more widely used, even intrafamily. So I'm equally confused and even starting to lose my confidence.

epigene · 21 Nov 2005

Elizabeth said:
I had thought that was only the trend among some young people -- although in the past (Edo times), I believe haha was more widely used, even intrafamily. So I'm equally confused and even starting to lose my confidence.

You're right, Elizabeth. Be confident! (I think I heard that said in a movie.... )

Nangi-san has in effect said the same thing as you.

Disclaimer: I haven't read everything on the thread. Just the original post and the last couple of posts...

lastmagi · 22 Nov 2005

What always confused me was that the politeness forms of "mother" and "father" seem counter-intuitive. はは and ちち kind of seem "cute" (probably not the best word to describe) while お母さん and お父さん seem more formal, what with the おー and ーさん. But then we see the first forms used in formal settings, while the second forms are used in a more informal setting.

Can anyone give a good explanation for why it isn't the other way around? I've been dying to hear the answer to this.

Luthien Rogue · 22 Nov 2005

@lastmagi -- I've always assumed that it's like using お名前 rather than 名前 when speaking of yourself, right? When you're speaking to someone else, you'd use a more modest form when speaking of yourself, your group, or your family, and a more polite form when speaking of someone else, their group, or family. I don't know about you, but I use "mother/father" when speaking of other people's parents, and "mom/dad" when speaking of my own; same sort of thing, although, like they've said, it's not set in stone.

Mother?

maxiewawa

後輩

Elizabeth

先輩

NANGI

先輩

maxiewawa

後輩

Elizabeth

先輩

epigene

相変わらず不束者です

lastmagi

後輩

Luthien Rogue

後輩

Similar threads