2.5.1.1 A Brief Description of the Japanese System ofHonorifics
The Japanese system of honorifics (keigo) integrates morphological, syntactical, and lexical devices. There are two basic types of classification. The less detailed one divides keigo into three modes: respectful (sonkeigo), humble (kenjogo) and polite (teineigo). Generally, respectful forms are used to express respect7 and indicate deference to a person or the persons group, activities and things. Humble forms are used to lower the speaker, including the speakers in-group members, and thereby pay respect to the hearer indirectly, through showing the speakers humility. Polite forms are neutral with regard to the target of respect, and thus they are used when a conversational situation is formal, and yet does not require the use of honorific or humble forms.
The second, more precise categorization of Japanese honorifics makes clear distinction between addressee, i. e. hearer, and referent. Referent honorifics (sozai keigo) can be further subdivided into respectful forms (sonkeigo, see above) and humble forms (kenjogo, see above). They are used to show deference toward the person being talked about, which can but does not necessarily have to be the addressee. Addressee honorifics (taisha keigo) are further subdivided into two subcategories of polite forms: teichogo and teineigo (see above). In form, teichogo often, but not always, resemble kenjogo, so the speaker has to be constantly aware whether speaking humbly with respect to the referent or just speaking politely about ones own actions. Thus it makes sense to have two separate categories.
There are also so-called bikago ('beautification + words'), which are used for making the utterance sound "refined" or "elegant". These are classified either as a third subcategory of referent honorifics (e. g. Okamoto, 2004:39, based on Minami, 1987) or as a separate category (e.g. Iori et al., 2000:322). As they are often used without a direct reference to the referent, here they are classified separately.
The following table summarizes the two most common classifications:
7 Respect here should be understood in the social sense as acknowledgement of the hearers or referents higher position in the particular situation (see p. 23 on discernment).
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Figure 2.3
Summary of the categorization of Japanese honorifics (adapted from Iori et al. 2000: 322)
	5 categories		3 categories
Honorifics	Referent honorifics	Respectful forms Sonkeigo	Respectful forms
		Humble forms Kenjogo	Humble forms
	Addressee honorifics	Polite forms Teichogo	
		Polite forms Teineigo	Polite forms
	Bikago		
The following examples (Iori et al., 2000: 314) demonstrate the differ ences between referent and addressee honorifics:
1) (hearer: Mr. Tanaka) Sensei wa mo o-kaeri ni natta? Has the teacher returned yet?
2) (hearer: Mr. Tanaka) Sensei wa mo o-kaeri ni narimashita ka? Has the teacher returned yet?
3) (hearer: teacher) Sensei wa mo o-hiru o meshiagarimashita ka? Have you (= teacher) had lunch yet?
In example 1> the speaker shows respect towards the teacher (referent) by the use of the respect form o-kaeri ni nam 'to return', but speaks informally to Mr. Tanaka (addressee), which is evidenced by the informal ending of the verb nam -* natta. In example 2, the speaker again expresses respect to the referent, but shows respect also to the addressee by the usage of the polite form of the verb nam -► narimashita (teineigo). In example 3, the
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referent and the addressee are the same person (teacher) and thus both sonkeigo (the respectful verb meshiagaru 'to eat') and teineigo (the ending--mashita) are used.
As demonstrated by the above examples, the Japanese verb has an important role in expressing politeness. Its modification indicates various levels of politeness. An important characteristic of honorific politeness is indirectness, as the verbal formations in the honorific expressions may involve periphrastic constructions, or suffixes identical in form to the passive and causative morphemes, or both.
The honorific and humble variants of some of the most common verbs are lexically completely different, rather than just morphologically altered. The verb meshiagaru in example 3 above is the respectful equivalent of the verb taberu 'to eat', the humble one being itadaku. However, the majority of verbs, instead, make use of morphologically standard ways of forming honorific and humble forms. Typically, the verb naru ('to become) or the passive suffix -rare are used for the honorific form (see ex. 2 and 3). Both the verb naru and the passive -rare are normally used in sentences that require agentless constructions in order to impersonate the expression. The verb naru is used to describe an event as if it happened "by itself" without explicit identification of the agent. This impersonalization and non-control are the basic means of expressing deference through distancing. The humble construction, on the other hand, makes use of the verb suru ('to do') and the causative suffix -sase, both of which explicitly indicate the agent (cf. Tokunaga, 1992). An expression utilizing the causative form sounds humble since it implies that the speaker is going to do the intended action with the hearers permission.
Some nouns may function as polite forms either morphologically by the addition of prefixes, the most common of which are the prefixes o-/go-*, or lexically, in that they can be used only politely.
* An example of the honorific prefix o-: tegami {'a letter') - o-tegami ('your letter', a superior's letter) An example of the respectful prefix ki- ('respected') and humble prefix $hd~ ('small'): kaisha ('a company') - kisha (your company') - shosha (our company*)
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