Re: Verbal Inflection for Formality
| From: | Yahya Abdal-Aziz <yahya@...> |
|---|
| Date: | Thursday, June 22, 2006, 6:23 |
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Hai Sai!
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006, Sai Emrys wrote:
>
> > (1) Outline in detail for me the exact system Japanese has in verba
> > inflection for formality
>
[snip]
>
> Three (extreme) examples for "eat this" (apologies if I'm inaccurate
> or excessive):
> To your teacher:
> Sumimasen, sensei, tsumaranai mono desu ga, kono o-senbei wo
> meshiagatte kudasaimasen ka?
> I'm sorry, teacher, though it's an insignificant thing, would you not
> please to [honorable-] eat this [honorable] cookie?
>
> To your friend:
> Oi, Beitesu-san, kono o-senbei wo tabetain~?
> Hey, Mr. Bates, wanna eat this [honorable] cookie?
>
> Harsh and borderline-gangsta:
> Senbei kue zo!
> Eat the cookie! (In this case, "kue" is the rude command form of
> "kuu", which is itself a vulgar word for "eat". 'Zo' is a sort of
> forceful masculine way to end a phrase.)
Too good zo! Every conlanger must chew on this zo!
(Sumimasen, Saizai-sensei ...)
Yoyo
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