People

1
Class Session 2b Chapter 2
Peoples Names Respectful Titles Personal
Pronouns Expressing Nationality Expressing
Occupation
2
Peoples Names

• Common Japanese Family Names (varies by
  prefecture)
• Sato Sasaki Yamamoto Tanaka
• Higa Miyagi Oshiro (names unique to
  Okinawa prefecture)
• Many family names are based on places and
  geographical features
• Popular male given names
• Hiroshi Akira Kazuo Takashi
  Toshio Yoshio
• Popular female given names
• Keiko Yoko Kazuko Hiroko Kaoru
  Yoshiko
• Family name precedes given name
• Hiroshi Suzuki is presented as Suzuki, Hiroshi
• Foreign names are usually written in katakana (a
  heavy dot may separate parts of the name)
• Tom Cruse Tomu Kuruzu ??????
• Hilllary Rodham Clinton Hirarii Rodamu
  Kurinton ?????????????

3
Respectful Titles

• You must use a respectful title when addressing
  or referring to someone
• Most common gender and marital-status-neutral
  title is san which is added to either family name
  or given name
• Tanaka-san Yoko-san Maiku-san
• Kun for boys or subordinates
• Chan for children after given name to show
  affection
• Sama used in extremely polite context
• A persons position, function, or professional
  title is often used in professional contexts
• bucho - division manager shacho company
  president
• sensei professor, teacher, medical doctor

4
Personal Pronouns

• Personal pronouns are not used in Japanese nearly
  as much as in English the Japanese prefer to use
  a persons name instead
• Some Japanese personal pronouns are
• 
  Singular Plural
• 1st person watashi (watakushi) watashi-tachi
• 2d person anata anata-tachi
• 3d person male kare karera
• 3d person female kanojo kanojora

5
Expressing Nationality
Nationality is expressed by the name of the
country jin nihon-jin Japanese
person chugoku-jin Chinese person igirisu-jin
English person furansu-jin French
person osutoraria-jin Australian
person beikoku-jin American person supein-jin
Spanish person taikoku-jin Thai
person doitsu-jin German person roshia-jin R
ussian person
6
Expressing Occupation

• Many terms for occupations have both a plain form
  and a polite form (honorific form)
• The plain form is used by the speaker and their
  insiders (e.g., family members)
• The polite form is used by outsiders
• Plain Polite Meaning
• kyoshi sensei teacher
• gakusei gakusei-san student
• kaishain kaishain-san company employee
• bengoshi bengoshi-san lawyer
• isha o-isha-san medical doctor
• kangoshi kangoshi-san nurse