Are Japanese honorifics

1
Are Japanese honorifics Keigo not PC?

• Norio Ota
• Japanese Studies Program
• York University

2
Can Japanese language and culture be PC?

• The last bastion that the PC movement is
  destined to attack is gender inequity. PC does
  not spare this arena, but the tradition of
  predominance of man over woman ???? is alive and
  strong. This issue is further complicated by the
  distinction between male and female registers and
  the use of honorifics. How far the PC movement
  permeates Japanese society and culture is yet to
  be seen, but there is clear evidence that
  indicates PC is gaining power. PC has a deep
  impact on Teaching of Japanese as a Foreign
  Language field and cultural studies. Language and
  culture professionals are expected to incorporate
  these dynamic changes into their curricula. PC
  process as a part of globalization has set a new
  paradigm.

3
Honorifics and gender

• 1. Pros and cons and future of honorifics
• 2. Gender issues
• Femininity and masculinity
• ????????????? Where are you from?
• ????????? When are you leaving?
• ???????????????????
• Ms. Yoshida, until what time are you going to
  be here?
• Gender check
• ????????????????????????????????(????) Since
  the usable range is 20 meters, there should not
  be any problem, even if you stand quite distant.
• ????????????(asking doctors wife)
• Is the doctor home tonight?
• Gender distinction and discrimination
• Gender identity and gender ideology

4
Ramifications in TJFL

• Gender free education (not genderless)
• Gender biases in E-J J-E dictionaries
• Gender biases in other instructional materials
• Self-examination and recognition
• Open discussion with students
• Prevent reproduction of gender biases and
  fossilization

5
E-mail message in young womans style

• Subject ??????????
• ???????(sensei written in Hiragana)
• Dear Mr. Ota
• ????????????????????
• I ended up being treated by you again.
• ?????????????????????????
• Thank you very much for the delicious dinner and
  enjoyable time.
• ????????????????????????????
• ??????????????????????????????
• As I had a dinner again at the place where I
  visited shortly after I came here, I am feeling
  more painfully that my overseas students life
  here will indeed end soon.
• 8?????9???????????????2?????
• ?????????????(??????????????)
• ????????????????????????????
• ?????
• the beginning of the other reality in Japan
  (graduation, employment or any other
  possibilities) is felt vaguely but surely, which
  makes me feel uncertain.

6
York???(??????????)???????????????????????????????
??????????????????????
as I was pointed out by
you ????(????????????)?????????????????
must continue
improving ???????
???????????????????????????????????
as I was allowed to observe your
classes ???????????????????????????????????
the option of becoming a teacher has become
clear in my thinking ??????? ????????????????????
??????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????????????????????????? I find
myself accepting the idea smoothly ?????????????
??????????????????????????????????????????????????
??????????????????????????????????????????
I wonder if I could say that made my thinking
more flexible ?? ????????????1??????????????????
???????? I end up feeling I could have done ,
if ????????????????????????????????????????????
????????????
7
??????????????????????????????? through meeting
with people ?????????????????????????????????????
??????????? sorrows of an exchange
student ?????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????? ???????
???(???????????)??????????????????????????????????
??(?? I would be happy if you would let me
know I would like to attend by all
means ????????????????) ??????4?????????????????
?????????????? ?????????????????????????
with gratitude 1?????????????
? ??? Yours truly (female)