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Chapter 1. Keigo in Linguistics

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Keigo in Modern Japan
This chapter is in the book Keigo in Modern Japan
7CHAPTER 1Keigo in LinguisticsThe Two Traditions of Keigo ResearchResearch on Japanese keigo emanates from a broad spectrum of theoreticalmodels and perspectives. Among Western (primarily but not exclusively Ameri-can) linguists, this includes the structural delimitation of keigo categories(Jorden 1963, Martin 1964, 1975, Miller 1967, 1971), the syntax of hon-ori¤cs (Harada 1976, Kageyama 1999, Shibatani 1978), and pragmatic andsociolinguistic research (Hendry 1990, Ide 1982, 1989, Okamoto 1995,1998, Wetzel 1994a, 1994b). Within the Japanese kokugogaku paradigm,there have been repeated attempts to ¤nalize the taxonomy of keigo (Ôishi1975, Tsujimura 1992) as well as to tie keigo to a larger system of linguisticallymediated relationships that includes not only politeness behavior, but also, atthe other end of the spectrum, the acts of cursing and insulting—so-calledtaigû-hyôgen ‘expressions of consideration’ (Minami 1987, Kikuchi 1994,Kabaya, Kawaguchi, and Sakamoto 1998). These Western and Japanese categories are recognized here for heuristicpurposes. Clearly there is overlap between the two groups, especially since theJapanese linguistic tradition harks back to the intellectual in¶uences thatpoured into Japan from Europe and the United States during the Meiji Era.The differences between them are far more salient in Japan than they are in theUnited States or elsewhere for the simple reason that kokugo scholars’ work islargely unknown outside Japan. Japanese awareness of developments in West-ern theory clearly affects linguistic research in Japan. Indeed, many Japaneselinguists are trained and/or work at American, Australian, and European insti-tutions. But the different concerns of Western and Japanese analyses of keigoare identi¤able and re¶ect underlying epistemological differences.
© University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu

7CHAPTER 1Keigo in LinguisticsThe Two Traditions of Keigo ResearchResearch on Japanese keigo emanates from a broad spectrum of theoreticalmodels and perspectives. Among Western (primarily but not exclusively Ameri-can) linguists, this includes the structural delimitation of keigo categories(Jorden 1963, Martin 1964, 1975, Miller 1967, 1971), the syntax of hon-ori¤cs (Harada 1976, Kageyama 1999, Shibatani 1978), and pragmatic andsociolinguistic research (Hendry 1990, Ide 1982, 1989, Okamoto 1995,1998, Wetzel 1994a, 1994b). Within the Japanese kokugogaku paradigm,there have been repeated attempts to ¤nalize the taxonomy of keigo (Ôishi1975, Tsujimura 1992) as well as to tie keigo to a larger system of linguisticallymediated relationships that includes not only politeness behavior, but also, atthe other end of the spectrum, the acts of cursing and insulting—so-calledtaigû-hyôgen ‘expressions of consideration’ (Minami 1987, Kikuchi 1994,Kabaya, Kawaguchi, and Sakamoto 1998). These Western and Japanese categories are recognized here for heuristicpurposes. Clearly there is overlap between the two groups, especially since theJapanese linguistic tradition harks back to the intellectual in¶uences thatpoured into Japan from Europe and the United States during the Meiji Era.The differences between them are far more salient in Japan than they are in theUnited States or elsewhere for the simple reason that kokugo scholars’ work islargely unknown outside Japan. Japanese awareness of developments in West-ern theory clearly affects linguistic research in Japan. Indeed, many Japaneselinguists are trained and/or work at American, Australian, and European insti-tutions. But the different concerns of Western and Japanese analyses of keigoare identi¤able and re¶ect underlying epistemological differences.
© University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. Acknowledgments ix
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 1. Keigo in Linguistics 7
  6. Chapter 2. Keigo in Kokugogaku 19
  7. Chapter 3. Inventing Keigo: Standardization 43
  8. Chapter 4. The Modernization of Keigo 66
  9. Chapter 5. Keigo Common Sense 89
  10. Appendix 1. Keigo from Now On 117
  11. Appendix 2. Guidelines for Expressions of Respect (Keii Hyōgen) in the Modern Age 129
  12. Notes 157
  13. Bibliography 187
  14. Index 201
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https://doi.org/10.1515/9780824846688-003

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. Acknowledgments ix
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 1. Keigo in Linguistics 7
  6. Chapter 2. Keigo in Kokugogaku 19
  7. Chapter 3. Inventing Keigo: Standardization 43
  8. Chapter 4. The Modernization of Keigo 66
  9. Chapter 5. Keigo Common Sense 89
  10. Appendix 1. Keigo from Now On 117
  11. Appendix 2. Guidelines for Expressions of Respect (Keii Hyōgen) in the Modern Age 129
  12. Notes 157
  13. Bibliography 187
  14. Index 201
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