ABSTRACT
Compared to English polite expressions, Japanese polite expressions form a more easily recognizable body of specialized grammatical forms and vocabulary items. First of all, there is the distinction between honorific, descriptive, and humble lexical items. Second, there is the grammatical distinction between the polite and the plain sentence styles. This chapter describes the relationship between such linguistic distinctions and the Japanese system of social classification. It focuses on Japanese family terms as one manifestation of the Japanese system of social classification. There are two types of family terms in Japanese: honorific and descriptive terms. Honorific family terms are used to refer to the members of other peoples families; while descriptive terms are used to refer to the members of ones own family. Grammar points are followed by contextualized examples and exercises which allow students to reinforce and consolidate their learning.
