politeness theory

The Honorifics Maze: -san, -chan, -kun, and -sama

Calling your boss 'Tanaka-chan' could get you fired. In Japan, the small suffix you add to a name isn't just…

1 week ago

How to Use ‘Desu’ and ‘Masu’ (And When to Drop Them)

The polite endings '-desu' and '-masu' are keystones of beginner Japanese, but true fluency comes from knowing when to drop…

1 week ago

Linguistics of the Perfect Apology

Why do some apologies work while others fail spectacularly? An apology is a complex linguistic performance with its own "grammar,"…

4 months ago

What Are Linguistic ‘Hedge’ Words?

Words like "maybe," "sort of," and "I think" do more than just express uncertainty. They are powerful linguistic tools known…

4 months ago

Hey Siri: The Unwritten Grammar of Voice Commands

Have you ever noticed you talk to Siri differently than you talk to a person? We've developed a unique "Machine…

4 months ago

The Power of “Um”: Decoding Filler Words

Often dismissed as verbal stumbles, filler words like "um," "like," or "pues" are far more than just speech errors. They…

4 months ago

The Calculus of Politeness

Ever wonder why we say "Could you possibly pass the salt?" instead of just "Pass the salt"? This isn't just…

4 months ago

Saving Face: The Intricate Linguistic Dance of Politeness in East Asian Cultures

The concept of "face" (面子, 체면, メンツ) is a cornerstone of social interaction in East Asia, deeply encoded in language.…

4 months ago

The Question That Isn’t a Question? The Surprising Linguistics of Uptalk

Ever notice how some people end statements as if they were asking a question? This rising inflection, known as "uptalk,"…

4 months ago

The Euphemism Treadmill: Why We Can’t Stop Inventing New Words for Old Taboos

Ever wonder why we have a dozen words for the toilet? This is the "euphemism treadmill," a linguistic cycle where…

4 months ago

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