Using Japanese honorifics when you aren't Japanese

Because it's amusing.

And because we watch anime a lot.

Because there is none.

It's the equivalent of a non-English speaker saying "sir" or "ma'am" after everything for no reason other than to sound "cool" by speaking English.

I usually don't mind Japanese honorifics, but it's pretty obnoxious and pretentious if you start using it while still speaking English. I actually lean more towards dropping honorifics in translations nowadays, since they're easier to read, plus if there's a perfectly serviceable equivalent in English then there's no reason not to use it.

Honorifics I never really use, save for on one friend, and always in jest. It bugs the absolute whateverthedesu out of her, and she's big on Japanese language and culture.

Though I do like to swear in foreign languages; fun times.

Kinda' bummed out that Nakama was renamed, but I understand the change perfectly. I just connected with the idea of Nakama a bit more I suppose; though I can admit using it in everyday speech to describe someone I care for is a bit odd.

Tidal-Kun is here...

Where is Neko-Chan and Natseeker-Sama? 0w^

edited 18th Jan '12 10:09:47 AM by Tidal_Wave_17

x4 Honorifics are a big deal in Japanese etiquette. Saying just the name without one is considered rude.

In a formal context, you would actually be using Mr. and Madame each time you call someone's name, wouldn't you? It's just that in English, that's limited to formal grounds.

It's not an exact equivalent, surely, but unless you're speaking fluent and proper Japanese you have no reason to randomly include Japanese words in what would otherwise be normal, non-Japanese-related discussion.

I only use them in my head, or as part of a nickname for a Pokémon I've just caught in a game. It would be stupid to use them out loud. And considering my Mon names also include everything from Fluffy to Stapler to Bastard to Jkopisly, it's not that bad in the game context.

I don't use them due to not wanting to sound like a buffoon, but I do wish they were accepted in English or English had some thing similar out side of Mr/Ms/ectra( as these only really cover -san).

... isn't this a complaining thread?

I'm not sure we really need anything other than Mr/Mz etc. Maybe another one for 'young man' to even things out with regard to gender. But do we really need a whole lot of different honorifics to describe a person's social status in relation to you?

-thread hop- I don't use them in speech myself — I think it's a little odd to mix languages with such a different grammatical structure — but I do sometimes wish English had a more complete honorific system. If I ever get around to making a conlang, it'll have honorifics of some sort.*

edited 22nd Jan '12 9:43:02 PM by Enthryn

...There's an exclusive we?

I guess there's a "him, her and me, but not you" we and a "You and me" we.

Inclusive "we" includes the person being addressed. Exclusive "we" doesn't.

Examples: "Are we in agreement now?" versus "We told you that already." In these cases, the former is pretty clearly inclusive and the latter exclusive, but there are cases where it's totally ambiguous without context, such as, "We're going to the park."

Here's Wikipedia's explanation.

edited 23rd Jan '12 7:46:48 PM by Enthryn