Keigo? (Formal Japanese)

[Makki]

Are everyone using (or trying to use) proper keigo when talking to people for the first time in Japan?



I mostly take advantage of being neither japanese or gaijin, dodging keigo in favor for a still respectful but informal way of talking (Haafugo?)

[maeku 476]

hahaha... cute!

well... i come from a strict japanese family so in Japan I am supposed to speak proper keigo... but truth be told, i tend to make silly mistakes..thank God..due to halvsieness, i am forgiven! <img src='http://www.halvsie.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[Makki]

Hahaha! My mother actually contacted me only once when I was living with a host family in 2006: and that was to scold me. Appearently my host mother wrote in an email that I refused to speak keigo, and that I explained it as me not wanting to put that kind of distance between people.



Needless to say, my mother was furious and shouted on the phone that I was just like a gaijin not understanding anything.



...on the other hand, maybe saying "omae" to my homeroom teacher wasn't that of a good idea

[maeku 476]

[quote name='Makki' timestamp='1309378820' post='229893']



...on the other hand, maybe saying "omae" to my homeroom teacher wasn't that of a good idea

[/quote]

deffinatly NO

[Makki]

Hahaha, I wouldn't do the same thing again, but it seemed like a great idea back then. Bringing the class together you know? At least the class exploded in laughter and there was no hard feelings <img src='http://www.halvsie.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> Being apologized for not being pureblod Japanese, but being included because you are not gaijin is awesome

[sayakachan3]

I hate keigo and if I really tried I think I could but it's like "du/Sie" in German; I just don't believe there needs to be another layer of crap to create distance between people.

I avoid it whenever possible...It's hard if I speak on the phone to a Japanese say, Telecom person though because I don't really have an accent so they think I'm Japanese then they're like...why the fuck are you being so familiar...?

[tadashi]

I try to speak it but usually I forget myself a bit in to the conversation. I think most people seem to give foreigners a lot of slack on keigo.

[Makki]

When I speak to seniors in Japan I always keep the keigo up, but as Tadashi I forget after a certain length of the conversation. There is no formal way of speaking in Swedish, everyone is "omae" <img src='http://www.halvsie.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />