It's been over a month since I last posted on the blog, and for that, I'm sorry. Although I realize that any sort of writing is better than no writing at all, I couldn't find an interesting topic to write about. I'll try to keep up with the blog better for now on.
I often thought about it before I came to Japan, but I didn't think about writing about what I would term the 'Politeness Factor' until a letter from a certain family member came yesterday.
When I started studying Japanese, I noticed just how awkward the language sounded when it was translated to English. There's "honorable" this and "humble" that. There seems to be no end to the act of raising your partner's status while engaging in self-deprecation on your own side. And therein lies the question, "Does Japanese really sound like that? Does it always sound like you're speaking in what English would consider the 15th century, when you're calling people 'Lord' this and "honorable' that?" And the answer is No, it doesn't, if I'm forced to choose. Much of the language is based on set phrases, just as we have in English.
For example, when you meet someone, or when you are asking for something, you say the phrase "Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu." Although there is truly no equivalent phrase in English, it translates roughly as "Please take care of me" and "Please do this for me." This is merely a superficial translation, but it would be the same in English as saying "Nice to meet you." We don't really think about the meaning of "Nice to meet you" when we say it. Not saying it is rude. The same applies to Japanese.
Let's take another phrase, "Osewa ni natte orimasu" is said when you answer the phone or when someone has done something for your benefit. Failing to this phrase is also rude. Although the original meaning has been lost in some ways, it is still necessary to say it.
"That's fair, but it doesn't cover the need to change your words when you speak to someone higher or lower to you. And what's with all the 'sama' this and that?" you might ask. And that's where the Politeness Factor gets a bit more convoluted.
Let's take one word 'to go' (in Japanese, this is pronounced iku). What a simple word. How can this become difficult? And the answer is, very easily. Let's say I'm speaking with a friend, and I want to say that I'm going to the convenience store. I would use the simplest form of the verb and just say, "Konbini wo iku." But what if I'm speaking to someone a little older than me, or someone that I'm not as close to like his parents. Then, I would say "Konbini wo Ikimasu." These both mean the exactly the same thing, and up this point, Japanese is easy. However, let's say I'm speaking to my boss, or a customer, or someone that I perceive as high status, such as a doctor or the President. In this case, I want to be a bit more polite. To do this, I change the verb to mairimasu. It still means go, but it's a bit more academic and much more humble. Our new sentence is "Konbini wo mairimasu." All of this gets thrown out the window when you start talking about the other person. Then you need one more verb, and this one is to elevate their status. If the doctor is going to the convenience store, then I'll say Konbini wo irasshaimasu. This is where Japanese gets difficult. All of these sentences mean that I (in the first 3) or the doctor (in the last sentence) are going to the store, but the level of politeness differs.
The question is, "Why is it necessary?" Parents have to teach their kids this sort of language. Its full of irregulars, and they cannot pick it up on their own. They normally teach the kids right before they enter the workforce, so in your early 20s, you learn how to sound polite. If it's so difficult, wouldn't it be easier to just eliminate it? Unfortunately, this is not possible. Although dislikes learning it, it's seen as necessary. It's the difference between saying "Buh-bye" and "Have a good day" to a customer on the phone.
The simplest explanation I can give is that all of this depends on the Politeness Factor. If you are talking with someone you do not know, or someone that you perceive as high status, you want to show your respect for them. You speak differently to your family than to a business partner, and the same is true here. It is better to err on the side of politeness than to speak too casually to someone. The same applies in English. These senior-subordinate relationships are much less strict in the U.S., but that doesn't mean that we ignore them. You don't say 'Hey' to your boss; you say 'Hello.'
If you don't know how high of a status someone is - and by the way, you cannot ask what someone does in their job here because income is directly related to job status. It would effectively be like asking how much money someone makes - then, you have to speak politely. Being too polite is rude, but speaking politely is always appreciated no matter the culture. This is what I mean by the Politeness Factor. So, is it difficult to learn? Without a doubt. But is it necessary? Yes. Absolutely.
