Question about relationships...

Published by: smith 2010-03-14

wow...I haven't posted here in a while...alot of new "faces" here!

Anyways, I'm taking the Rosetta Stone Japanese Course (on the Army's dime) and I just started this evening. I have a question about what is used for father/man/husband and woman/mother/wife.

Does the Japanese language use each different noun depending on the relationship? What is the difference with father and son as opposed to husband and wife, or mother and daughter? How are the words used?

I passed the first lesson with an 88%, but I'm still kinda confused.

I apologize for the late response, Arc Light. This must have gotten lost in the wave of posts.

There are differences in Japanese between, say father and son, as is in English. There are also words to refer to another's father or mother. This is mainly to place honor on another person's relative I believe.

Let's have this site here go into more detail about this, as I'm sure it can do a much better job. It's also organized for easy studying and has how to pronounce each.

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People who use "otousan" and "okaasan" to refer to their own parents are normally either very young (ie children) or self-centered. If not, then most of the people that you know are probably ojousans am I correct?
None of the above. :-) Is that an option allowed of native speakers judging their own language ? :relief:

The group of Japanese female friends whom I once lived nearby, all mothers of small children, considered it perfectly acceptable (non-childish). They may have been suspicious of 'hard,' 'formal' speech with each other but were in no way immature, uneducated or self-centered. Frankly, that is more than enough explanation for any of you... :okashii:

I wouldn't use 私の父 about my own father unless it were to a superior or on a formal occasion.
This is not restricted to formal occasions or speaking to superiors. It should be used most of the time, unless in very, very colloquial expression--though a lot of young Japanese aren't able to use it correctly.

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Also, 私の in 私の父 can be omitted when speaking of your own father. Same applies for 私の母
私の父は５０才（さい）です。ー＞父は５０才です。
私の母は寝（ね）ています。ー＞母は寝ています。

None of the above. :-) Is that an option allowed of native speakers judging their own language ? :relief:
The group of Japanese female friends whom I once lived nearby, all mothers of small children, considered it perfectly acceptable (non-childish). They may have been suspicious of 'hard,' 'formal' speech with each other but were in no way immature, uneducated or self-centered. Frankly, that is more than enough explanation for any of you... :okashii:

I have never really had the chance to talk to many mothers of young children. Most Japanese here that I've met are younger international exchange students. Maybe they do have a different way of saying things.

I just read an article that sometimes women might call their parents "uchi no otousan/okaasan" etc. So maybe that's the case.

I think it's best to learn it that way to avoid rudeness:

彼のお父さん　(Kare no otousan)　His father
あの子のお父さん　(Ano ko no otousan) That boy's father
私の父　(Watashi no chichi) My father

Although people I know well usually use 母親、お母さん　父親、お父さん when talking about their own parents.
（親父 I've yet to hear). :p

People who use "otousan" and "okaasan" to refer to their own parents are normally either very young (ie children) or self-centered. If not, then most of the people that you know are probably ojousans am I correct?

So would saying "his father" or "that boy's father" be different from saying "my father?"

Thanks for the help...

Thanks guys...it sucks not having anyone local to practice with....

Grab Skype and try to meet some people that are interested in either teaching Japanese or learning English and see if you can exchange practice speaking with each other.

Skype is an internationally used chat/voice chat program.

http://www.skype.com/

Japanese has many level of honorifics. The choice of word depending on the subject of the sentence.

For example, father can be translated as "oyaji", "otousan/otousama", "chichioya/chichi". etc. You would use the more honorific "otousan" when referring to someone's father. You can use the rougher version "oyaji" to directly call for your own father's attention.

Note that it is technically not grammatically wrong to use "anata no oyaji" to refer to someone's father, just that it would be extremely rude.

This is not restricted to formal occasions or speaking to superiors. It should be used most of the time, unless in very, very colloquial expression--though a lot of young Japanese aren't able to use it correctly.
Also, 私の in 私の父 can be omitted when speaking of your own father. Same applies for 私の母
私の父は５０才（さい）です。ー＞父は５０才です。
私の母は寝（ね）ています。ー＞母は寝ています。
Although people I know well usually use 母親、お母さん　父親、お父さん when talking about their own parents.

（親父 I've yet to hear). :p

Thanks guys...it sucks not having anyone local to practice with....

I think it's best to learn it that way to avoid rudeness:
彼のお父さん　(Kare no otousan)　His father
あの子のお父さん　(Ano ko no otousan) That boy's father
私の父　(Watashi no chichi) My father
I wouldn't use 私の父 about my own father unless it were to a superior or on a formal occasion.

Still I think so Arc Light won't get even more confused, it's best for now to go along with whatever the Rosetta stone program says it is...:relief: