Japanese Honorifics

[Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@peorth.gweep.net>]

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* Kai.Grossjohann@CS.Uni-Dortmund.DE (Kai Großjohann)  on Tue, 05 Oct 1999
| I don't know any Japanese at all, and I wonder: is `-san' a suffix
| used when speaking of a person informally; somewhat like the use of
| first name (rather than `Mr' or `Ms' and last name) in the Western
| culture?  Or is it part of his name?

The -san honorific is, as has been pointed out, similar to the English
Mr./Ms./Mrs. honorifics.  Context determines the degree of formality.  It
is never used self-referentially.

The -chan (feminine) and -kun (masculine) 'honorifics' are diminutives.
Their primary use is familial, a younger sister or brother.  They are
infrequently substituted for -san when the speaker is a superior (like your 
boss) but is also a friend (or at least considers himself to be a friend).
The diminutives are also very infrequently used incorrectly between
otherwise very close friends.

Then there is the archaic -dono honorific.  The meaning is highly dependant
on context
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