近代日本敬语政策的嬗变及其影响

Evolution of the Policies on Honorifics in Modern Japan and Its Contributors

敬语是日语的重要特征之一,在近代日本形成过程中被赋予了浓厚的政治色彩,肩负了维持日本社会秩序的重要作用。二战以来,日本敬语的使用经历了由“绝对敬语”到“相对敬语”的演化过程,敬语本身亦从之前表示阶级上下身份关系的封建主义产物转型为国民语言中表示民主平等人际关系的润滑剂。这与日本政府和学界先后组织的三次敬语审议活动以及分别出台的《今后的敬语》《现代社会中的敬意表现》《敬语指针》等政策密切关联。这些政策不仅规范了敬语的使用,也反映了其背后的政治体制变革、国民思想演变、社会变迁等因素。

As one of the primary features of the Japanese language,honorifics,imbued with rich political overtones in the formation of modern Japan,play a significant part in maintaining the social order of Japan.After the World War II,Japanese honorifics evolved from "absolute honorifics" to "relative honorifics" and were transformed into a lubricant representing an interpersonal relationship of democracy and equality from a product of feudalism marking the hierarchical relations of social classes.This evolution is closely tied up with the three deliberative activities organized by the Japanese government and scholarship in a row and the policies titled Future Honorifics,The Manifestations of Honorifics in the Contemporary Society,and Principles on Honorifics,which were initiated respectively.All these policies which reflected the reformation of the political system,the evolution of the national thought and social changes lurking behind honorifics contributed to standardizing the use of honorifics.