Metapragmatic Aspects of Politeness and Empathy in Japanese Secondperson Referentiality System
Metapragmatic Aspects of Politeness and Empathy in Japanese Secondperson Referentiality System

Summary/Abstract: This study aims to present the relation between empathy and honorifics regarding the use of second-person reference forms present in the contemporary Japanese language. This relation is analyzed metapragmatically, indicating the elements which typical Japanese speakers take into account in order to communicate with the addressee in a proper way. The author presents three main categories of influence – age, social position, and gender. Those, in turn, are examined in accordance with the setting of discourse. It is important to note that even if the relationship between the addressee and the speaker is an informal one (e.g., close friends), a formal setting can change how the speaker feels about the way to communicate. Because of that, the author feels it is important to focus on the setting rather than the relationship between the interlocutors. Additionally, honorific suffixes are also evaluated in this manner.

• Details
• Contents