#polite speech

[languagestudymaterials]

An exploration of the multifaceted grammar point ～の方 (ほう), covering its use in indicating general directions, vague occupations, and its role in "softening" polite speech.

The Directional and Vague Nature of ～の方 (ほう)

The term 方 (ほう) fundamentally points the listener toward a specific direction, whether physical or abstract. In the following example from Jujutsu Kaisen, Yuuji uses it to indicate a general area rather than a specific address.

...泉区(いずみく)の方(ほう)...  → ...Somewhere in the Izumi Ward area... (泉区 = Izumi Ward; ～の方 = in the direction/area of...)

泉区 (いずみく) = Izumi Ward (a district in Sendai)

方 (ほう) = direction; area; side

知らねえよ (しらねえよ) = I don't know (rough/masculine speech)

Itadori Yuuji—mentioning a vague location because he doesn't know the exact address.

Vague Occupations and Identification

In addition to physical directions, の方 is frequently used to describe one's field of work or to identify a specific person among options. Using it with occupations makes the statement sound less specific and more humble.

教育(きょういく)の方(ほう)です。  → I work in the field of education. (Instead of stating a specific job title, this points to the general "direction" of one's career.)

栗栖秀太郎(くるすしゅうたろう)の方(ほう)です。  → This is Kurusu Shuutaro. / This is the one named Kurusu Shuutaro.

Mars Red—Identifying a specific individual.

Indirectness and Politeness

When の方 is used with objects, it serves to soften the sentence, making it feel less direct and more "polite" to the listener. However, this usage is a double-edged sword in Japanese linguistics.

Note: When used by staff in restaurants or shops e.g.:

荷物(にもつ)の方(ほう)をお預(あず)かりします

 this is often called

バイト敬語

(Baito-keigo/Part-timer Honorifics). While very common in modern Japan, some linguistic purists consider it technically incorrect or redundant because the "direction" isn't actually vague.

方 (ほう) = direction; side (used to soften nouns)

方 (かた) = person (the polite/keigo version of 人 [ひと])

南の方 (みなみのほう) = toward the south; the southern area (this is a standard, natural way to express direction)

Contrary to the idea that 南の方 (minami no hou) might be "too vague," it is actually the standard way to say "in the southern direction" or "the southern part of [a place]." Adding の方 is necessary when you aren't pointing at a specific southern point, but rather the general region.

[facets-and-rainbows]

Politeness in Blue Exorcist 83: Lightning

Blue Exorcist 83 had a lot of interesting contrast between formal and informal speech, so here’s part 2 of the freaking novel I wrote about it!

Last time I mentioned using the formal です and ます on the ends of sentences, to put some distance between yourself and your listener.

There’s also another dimension to polite speech--putting your listener above yourself. In very polite Japanese, you show extra respect for your listener by using honorific words to describe their actions, and humble words to describe your own actions. This makes it sound like they’re more important than you, and that’s pretty polite!

Now let’s watch how various types of polite speech (and the lack thereof) play into this conversation with Lightning.

(spoilers for blue exorcist 83)

Lightning, a cheerful but ruthless exorcist, is gathering information about The Plot. His search takes him to the monastery where the main character grew up, so he can talk to some monks who are keeping some shady secrets. Against all odds, everyone is TOTALLY POLITE AND RESPECTFUL ABOUT THIS:

青い夜について研究してらっしゃるとか？ (You said that) you’re researching the Blue Night?

はい。青い夜以降日本支部で離職した方に話を伺ってるんです。 永友さんと共同さんは青い夜以前祓魔師（エクソシスト）でいらっしゃいましたよね。 Yes. I’m interviewing people who left their jobs at the Japan Branch after the Blue Night. Nagatomo-san and Kyoudou-san, you were exorcists before the Blue Night, is that right?

Polite things about these sentences:

The monks use honorific いらっしゃる instead of いる to talk about what Lightning’s doing: 研究してらっしゃる instead of 研究してる

Lightning also uses honorific エクソシストでいらっしゃいました instead of エクソシストでした.

Honorific 方 instead of 人

Lightning uses the humble 伺う instead of 聞く to talk about his own actions.

No one here has met in person before and they’re meeting for business rather than fun, so it’s normal for everyone to use です・ます style speech to give each other some space.

Lightning is using honorific and humble speech because these nice folks graciously agreed to be interviewed about a sensitive subject, and they deserve respect from their interviewer. It’s definitely not a facade to hide how awful he’s willing to be. Definitely.

The monks are using honorific and humble speech because 1. Lightning ranks very highly in an organization they used to belong to and 2. they don’t actually want to talk to him, but they don’t want to fight him either, so maybe if they’re nice enough he’ll just go away.

The conversation stays nice and civil until Lightning starts questioning one of the monks (Misumi) about his past. Misumi seems to have some bad memories that he doesn’t want to talk about, but Lightning keeps asking, leading to this panel:

三角さんの体調が優れないようですので 申し訳ありませんがもうお帰りください It appears Misumi-san isn’t feeling well. I’m terribly sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave now.

Note the indirect phrases used to talk about sensitive subjects: 体調が優れない (literally “his physical condition is not excellent”)

申し訳ありません (literally “there is no excuse”) is a very polite/formal way to say “I’m sorry.”

お帰りください is an honorific way to say 帰ってください

Nagatomo, still clinging to his honorifics, tries to get Lightning to leave without causing a fuss.

It doesn’t work.

何故泣いてるんです？　 Why’re you crying?

Oh goodness that was an awfully direct question to ask. Normally you’d want to be more tactful and indirect. Also we’re back to regular 泣いている instead of an honorific, though there’s still a です to keep things formal.

Lightning. Look.

Nagatomo said he’s not feeling well 

and that is code for back off buddy this conversation is over 

and you are ignoring the code.

The situation deteriorates really quickly over the next few panels, and before we know it we’re reading this:

何なんだ お前ら揃ってどいつもこいつも罪人の目をして よく聖職者の制服（かわ）なんか被ってられるな What the hell. Every last one of you has the eyes of a criminal. How can you stand to call yourselves holy men? (literally “wear the skin/uniform of a clergyman” --he’s basically calling them wolves in sheep’s clothing)

Impolite things about this sentence:

This sentence starts with kicking over a table and forcing the listener to the ground, which is pretty much the least polite way you can start a sentence in any language.

Actual meaning of the sentence is also pretty insulting!

Lost all the polite です and ます endings. Now he’s kind of invading Misumi’s personal space (both physically AND verbally) 

Uses お前ら (a rough “you guys” for close friends or social inferiors) instead of names or more polite pronouns.

なんか is mostly used in informal spoken language (would be など in extra formal or written language)

sentence ending particle な is also informal/spoken, like a stronger ね

Polite things about this sentence:

none

Hell’s bells! That went from “I was hoping to ask you a few questions, if it isn’t too much trouble?” to “SAY WHAT AGAIN, I DARE YOU, I DOUBLE DARE YOU” in like a page. This made Lightning seem extra dangerous and unpredictable. 

Nobody uses polite speech after this. They all just drop the whole act.

During the struggle, a demon comes along and kills Misumi to silence him. Lightning knew this would happen but kept pressing him for information; he was even willing to torture the poor guy.

...Then when Lightning is leaving, he’s suddenly all professional again:

後のことはお任せします。 何か問題あるようでしたら正十字騎士團までご連絡を I’ll leave the rest to you. If you run into any trouble, just contact the Order of the True Cross.

We’re back to です・ます form.

Being indirect about sensitive topics: 後のこと is like the vaguest way you could say “call the coroner and make up a good story about how this body got here”

お任せします (I’ll leave it to you) is humble.

ご連絡 puts an honorific prefix ご on 連絡 (contact)

christ on toast man you just knowingly caused one of them to die and then told the others to deal with the body 

and now you’re talking like you’re being all helpful by respectfully asking them to contact your organization if they need anything, but all they really need is for you to leave half an hour ago

jesus

[facets-and-rainbows]

Politeness in Blue Exorcist 83: Amaimon

So Blue Exorcist 83 is just brimming with weird and terrifying uses of polite vs casual Japanese, so I wrote a freaking novel about it and I’m splitting it into an Amaimon post and a Lightning post.

Remember: in formal speech, the verb at the end of the sentence gets the ending ます, and だ (”is”) is replaced with です. Dressing up your sentences like this puts distance between you and your listener. This is a good thing in a formal situation, where you want things to stay professional and not personal.

...but it’s weird when you’re trying to start a fistfight. Let’s look at Amaimon:

Amaimon generally uses polite language whenever he talks.

お久しぶりです。 It’s been a long time. / Long time no see. (Formal speech, using the polite prefix お and です, the polite form of だ)

...But if you watch him talk for more than a couple sentences you’ll see he doesn’t really mean it. Whenever he’s acting especially dangerous (which is often) or ignoring his listener and talking more to himself (which is often) he’ll slip right out of the です・ます speech:

今ボクを押したか?  Did you just push me? (informal speech)

Overall, Amaimon’s speech has this thin outer coating of politeness that’s ready to crack any time. Just look this utter trainwreck of a sentence:

今すぐにキサマをブッッッ殺したいところですが... I’d love to just DESTROY you right now, but...

Impolite things about this sentence:

It’s never polite to threaten to kill someone.

キサマ is one of the rudest ways available to to say “you” and is mostly used by manga characters who have some kind of blood feud going.

he says ぶっ殺す, which adds the prefix ぶっ onto the verb “kill” to make it sound even more violent.

ぶっ wasn’t enough for him so he put it in katakana for emphasis and then wrote it with three little ッ’s instead of one. Bukkkkorosu. I bet he got spit everywhere when he said that.

Polite things about this sentence:

has a です on the end

It’s like... “I wanna tear you mother****ers apart but I’m afraid I have a previous engagement, so sorry, we’ll have to reschedule...” 

I bet Mephisto tried to teach him to be polite but he never truly grasped the concept. He just thinks you can slap a です or ます on whatever rude thing you were going to say.

If anything, Amaimon’s formal speech just makes him feel inhuman. Emotionless? Eerily nonchalant about violence. Seeing him slip up like this sometimes just adds to the feeling that it’s all just a mask. Creepy.

[leopardheart27]

Congrats sneople! We made it through and didn't lose our essences while writing those essays!

[nihononthego]

Kenjougo: Modest/Humble Expressions

Last week, I talked about using honorific expressions. Honorific expressions are used when you are talking to someone who is of a higher status than you or you are talking about someone who is of a higher status. You'll hear them often in customer situations and at restaurants, etc. You do not use them to refer to yourself, like "I did such and such." Rather, you use them to describe the actions of the other person. 

Modest Expressions

Instead of using the normal verbs, you would use the modest ones.

Kanji: 私はブリトニー・エバンズと申します。どうぞよろしくお願いいたします Kana: わたくしはブリトニー・エバンズともうします。どうぞよろしくおねがいいたします。 Romaji: Watakushi wa Buritonii Ebanzu to moushimasu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu. English: I'm Brittney Evans. It's a pleasure to meet you.

言う becomes 申す お願いする* becomes お願いいたします **お願いします is the expression that would have been used here.

Kanji: 私は来年の9月にイタリアに参ります。 Kana: わたくしはらいねんのくがつにイタリアにまいります。 Romaji: Watakushi wa rainen no ku-gatsu ni Itaria ni mairimasu. English: I'm going to Italy next September.

行く becomes 参る

Modest expressions can also be used to talk about your own family and your company and can also be heard in announcements.

Kanji: 私のお兄さんは弁護士でございます。 Kana: わたくしのおにいさんはべんごしでございます。 Romaji: Watakushi no oniisan wa bengoshi degozaimasu. English: My older brother is a lawyer.

です becomes でござる

Kanji: 一階にお手洗いがございます。 Kana: いっかいにおてあらいがございます。 Romaji: Ikkai ni o-tearai ga gozaimasu. English: There are restrooms on the first floor.

ある becomes ござる

Humble Expressions

Used when you do something out of respect for someone else.

お + Verb Stem + する

Kanji: 私はキム先生にCDをお借りしました。 Kana: わたしは、キムせんせいにシーディーをおかりしました。 Romaji: Watashi wa, Kimu sensei ni shiidii wo o-karishimashita. English: I borrowed a CD from Professor Kim.

From 借りる meaning to borrow.

Using the humble verbs いただく and 差し上げる

Kanji: 先生、日本語を教えていただけませんか。 Kana: せんせい、にほんごをおしえていただけませんか。 Romaji: Sensei, nihongo wo oshite itadakemasen ka. English: Professor, can you teach me Japanese?

～てもらう* becomes ～ていただく **Means to get someone to do you a favor. te-form + もらう

Kanji: 私は部長にお土産を差し上げました。 Kana: わたしはぶちょうにおみやげをさしあげました。 Romaji: Watashi wa buchou ni omiyage wo sashiagemashita. English: I gave the section leader a souvenir.

Do not use the te form with this verb, such as you would in ～てあげる (doing something for someone). Use the お + Verb Stem + する instead.

Kanji: 私は、先生に地図をお見せしました。 Kana: わたしは、せんせいにちずをおみせしました。 Romaji: Watashi wa, sensei ni chizu wo mise shimashita. English: I showed a map for my professor. (Banno et al., 160).

Comparison

Honorific Expression

honors the subject of the sentence

used to talk about what a person of higher status does/did

used to talk about someone you don't know well

Kanji: 先生は今日学校にいらっしゃいました。 Kana: せんせいはきょうがっこうにいらっしゃいました。 Romaji: Sensei wa kyou gakkou ni irasshaimashita. English: The teacher came to school today. 

Modest

used to talk modestly about your own actions and not the actions of another (like your boss)

can be used for your family, though

Kanji: 私は電気工学を勉強しております。 Kana: わたくしはでんきこうがくをべんきょうしております。 Romaji: Watakushi wa denkikougaku wo benkyou shite orimasu. English: I'm studying electrical engineering.

Humble

used to humbly describe actions you do for others

in a sense it's way not to tout your horn

raises the profile of the person you are speaking about

Kanji: 私は、先生に高いお菓子をお買いします。 Kana: わたしは、せんせいにたかいおかしをおかいします。 Romaji: Watashi wa, sensei ni takai okashi wo okai shimasu. English: I will buy expensive snacks for the teacher.

I do hope this helps. If you see any errors, please correct me.

読んでくれてありがとう。

Eri Banno, Yutaka Ohno, Yoko Sakane, Chikako Shinagawa, and Kyoko Takashiki, Genki II: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese (Tokyo: The Japan Times, 1999).

[nihononthego]

お + Verb Stem + です

I made a small addendum to Keigo: Honorific/Polite Speech. お + Verb Stem + です has been added. Although it wasn't covered in my textbook and the Internet was for some reason limited on an explanation, I decided to include it because chances are, it may show up somewhere along your Japanese journey~

[naengmyeong]

경어

Here is that Korean Lesson I've been promising. 

Let's say I am talking to my older brother about mom, and I want to say that mom is eating. I should to use the honorifics 진지 Jinji  for food and 드시다 deushida for eat. Because brother and I are younger than mom.

어머니께서 진지를 드세요. omoniggeseo jinjirul deuseyo.

BUT let's say I want to tell the same thing to Grandfather. Since grandfather is older than mom i should use 밥 pap and 먹다 mokda.

어머니께서 밥을 먹어요. omonigesseo papeul mokeoyo.

Confusing? doesn't have to be! ^^

[japanese-sentences]

わたしは学生です。

I am a student.

わたし is the かな of 私, which refers to oneself (English equivalent: I, me)

は is a special keyword, called 'Topic marking particle'. As the name implies, it gives the reader a hint what the sentence is about (What the topic of the sentence is). In this case the sentence is about 'me', so わたし is marked with the topic marking particle.

学生 means 'student' and it is pronounced がくせい. See below for the Kanji breakdown.

です declares a 'state-of-being', that means it says that something is 'like this' or 'like that'. Here, it shows that I am a student. If someone is talking colloquially, it may be dropped, since the sentence still makes sense.

Kanji breakdown:

学生　（がくせい）　student

学（がく）（３２４）　study; learning; science 

生（せい）（１５５５）　life; birth

Studying is a student's life.