Polite Language

Introduction to Contextual Factors

By コトバ君 ・ Japanese Honorifics ・ ~8 min read

Introduction to Contextual Factors

Used normatively, polite language is a way for the speaker to show politeness to the addressee.

This politeness comes from the expressive meaning of polite forms – the creation of horizontal distance between speaker and listener.

To decode the social meanings created by this horizontal distance, we need to look at: the relationship between the polite form and the context it’s used in.

Politeness, Japanese-Style

Before we zoom in on specific contextual factors, we need to shift how we think about politeness to a more Japanese perspective.

Polite language is only one part of politeness, but understanding how native speakers conceptualise politeness is very helpful when trying to understand this type of honorific.

Linguist Ide (2006) used statistical analysis of word associations and found that:

• ● in English, “polite” and “friendly” are closely related concepts
• ● in Japanese, their equivalents 親しげな (shitashigena, “friendly”) and 丁寧 (teinei, “polite”) are unrelated

So the politeness conveyed by using polite forms does not express friendliness.

The absence of “friendly” from the Japanese conception of politeness is shared intuitive knowledge in the Japanese community. For learners, this point is vital.

In many situations, a degree of horizontal distance is considered an essential part of politeness.

In Japanese culture, using polite language:

• ● shows the addressee your intention to be polite
• ● helps facilitate smooth communication

This act of creating horizontal distance, in Japanese cultural terms, achieves something similar to what offering to use first names might do in English – but in a kind of reverse way:

• ● In English, we often reduce distance to show closeness and build rapport.
• ● In Japanese, people often maintain or create horizontal distance to achieve what counts as polite, smooth interaction.

Intention vs Reception

Polite language indicates the speaker’s intention to be polite.

But that doesn’t mean it always results in a successful display of politeness.

How polite language is actually received depends on:

• ● how well the speaker evaluates the need for polite language based on
• ○ the relationship between themselves and the addressee(s), and
• ○ the context in which the interaction takes place.

This leads to a key practical question:

How do we decide whether polite language is appropriate for a particular addressee or context?

Native speakers typically consider three main aspects:

1. Formality
2. Social status
3. Familiarity

We’ll look at each in turn.

Formality

Here, the rule of thumb is:

• ● Polite language → a sign of formality
• ● Plain language → a sign of informality

Formality is decided by the context of the interaction.

We’ll mark it on a simple scale:

• ● If the speaker decides polite language is appropriate for the context, we call it a formality level 0 (F⁰) context.
• ● If the speaker decides plain language is appropriate, it’s a formality level −1 (F⁻¹) context.

Formality is such an important factor in choosing honorific forms that it gets its own scale.

The line between formal and informal can be fuzzy, but broadly:

• ● a business meeting or ceremony → formal (F⁰)
• ● a drinking party at a pub → informal (F⁻¹)

By paying close attention to how native speakers use polite language in different settings, we can start to infer the formality of the context.

Social Status

With this factor:

• ● Polite language → the addressee is of higher social status
• ● Plain language → the addressee is of equal or lower social status

Relative social status is culturally determined, so learners need to become familiar with how native speakers judge status.

A good starting point is to look at common relationships, such as:

• ● parent–child
• ● teacher–student

Speakers consider a variety of factors when deciding status, including:

• ● age
• ● gender
• ● rank/position, among others

Familiarity

For this factor:

• ● Polite language → the addressee is unfamiliar or not close
• ● Plain language → the addressee is familiar or close

Familiarity is determined by the emotional distance or degree of closeness the speaker feels exists between themselves and the addressee.

Some typical patterns:

• ● Speakers use polite language with strangers because they are unfamiliar.
• ● Speakers use plain language with family because they are familiar.

These three factors – formality, social status, and familiarity – work together behind the scenes whenever a Japanese speaker chooses between polite and plain forms.

Understanding them is the first big step towards decoding the horizontal distance that polite language creates, and what that distance means in real interactions.

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