25 Are you feeling gloomy to see that there are three ways to say "go" in Japanese, thinking that you must learn verbs three times? Don't worry. The subject honorification forms and humble expression forms of most of the verbs are made regularly according to rules. "Iku (go)" is one of the very few exceptions which does not observe the rules. In this text, I will not go further into the use of honorifics, so I would like you to study them in class, but for advanced learners who wish to learn more about honorifics, I recommend my book 'Keigo Sainyumon' (Maruzen Library). In this book, I analyze honorifics linguistically with explanations on their use, and although it is targeted for Japanese people, I also receive favorable comments from advanced Japanese learners. The "..desu" and "..masu" beginners learn are actually the polite style. Antonym of polite style is "casual style" in spoken language. For example, "ikimasuka (Are you going?)" "hai, ikimasu (Yes, I'm going.)" is polite style conversation, and "iku? (Are you going?)" "Un, iku (Yes, I'm going.)" is casual style conversation. Polite style is taught mainly in Japanese classes, and some students ask, "Why are we taught polite style mainly in classes? In my laboratory, everyone is always talking in casual style." Is it true? Are they all really always talking in casual style? Listen closely to the conversation. Even among students, if the grade or age is different, polite style "..desu" and "..masu" is used usually, at least from the junior to the senior (or mutually). Even if everyone in the laboratory is really using casual form among them, aren't they using polite style with the people outside the laboratory? As a matter of fact, people who one can talk to in casual form without being impolite is very limited. I said earlier that Japanese society is quite generous to non-native speakers not using subject honorification and humble expression, but it is not so regarding polite style. Using casual style in a situation you are expected to use polite style gives a very rude impression, not only to Japanese but also non-native speakers. This is why polite style is taught mainly in classes. It does not mean that casual style is insignificant, but to avoid confusion, it is necessary to stick to one style at the early stages. This is the reason why polite style is taught mainly at the elementary stage. Polite and Plain Honorifics can be classified into subject honorification and humble expression in a limited sense, but there is another type of honorific called "polite expression". Subject honorification and humble expression are language regarding "about who one is talking", but polite expression regards " to whom one is talking". It is related to the "style" of text, so it is often called "polite style".
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