[Lexicog] Digest Number 193 (Honorifics)

[John Roberts]

Ron Moe asked:

> Can anyone give
> examples of (1) pronouns, (2) particles, (3) affixes, (4) terms of direct
> address, (5) greetings (6) requests, (7) apologies? Are there other sets
> of
> words that function as honorifics? Is there any literature on the subject?

Amele (Papuan) doesn't have a system of honorifics as such but different
degrees of politeness can be expressed in the imperative by using different
modal and irrealis forms. The imperatives expressed in (a)-(d) become
sequentially less demanding. The basic imperative is expressed by the suffix
-a on the verb, and an example is given in (a). The example given is a
typical greeting among the Amele people. However, you can 'soften' the
imperative in different ways. First, you can use the permissive particle =le
which expresses 'permission granted', as in (b). A further softening can be
achieved by using the irrealis form of the medial verb, as in (c). Finally,
the most inoffensive imperative can be expressed by the particle =mo which
expresses supplication (aka. the whimperative). [The examples given are all
based on the verb 'to give', which in Amele doesn't have an overt verb
stem.] Many Papuan languages express politeness using irrealis or modal
forms.

a.   ceb          it-ag-a

      betelnut   1sg.io-2sg.su-imperative

      'Give me betelnut.'

b.   hina        ceb          it-ag-a=le

      you(sg)   betelnut   1sg.io-2sg.su-imperative=permissive

      'You can/may give me betelnut.'

c.   hina        ceb        iit-em

      you(sg)   betelnut  dur.1sg.io-2sg.su.ds.simul.irrealis

      'If you give me betelnut .'

d.   hina        ceb        it-ag-a=mo

      you(sg)   betelnut  1sg.io-2sg.su-imperative=supplicative

      'Would you give me betelnut, please.'


John Roberts



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