Unlike in most Western countries, it is usual to refer to people by their family name. Japanese names are written family name first, given name second. Which of these names one chooses to use is also very important. Honorifics can be attached to both family names and given names. Using an incorrect suffix could be seen as extremely rude, or using an overly-polite one may be awkward. Japanese has a very complex system of honorific language that reflects the social hierarchies that are so important in Japanese society. The truth is that Japanese honorifics are the best giveaway to the relationships between characters. No matter the subject matter, you are sure to hear many kinds of honorifics being used between characters So…why don’t the translators just use ‘Mr’? Or just leave the honorifics out altogether? You could say that the English equivalents are the titles ‘Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms’. Well, ~san is an example of a Japanese honorific suffix.
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If you are new to anime or manga you may be wondering what those funny words are that are attached to the end of people’s names. Our first topic is something that is often left untranslated even in anime subtitles or translated manga.
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So many things can get lost in translation, and even if you don’t speak any Japanese whatsoever, we’re here to help you out! We’re not here to teach you Japanese, but we want to help you get the most out of your anime-watching experience. Welcome to Lost in Honyaku, a Manga.Tokyo column where we help you get your head around some of the Japanese words and phrases that you may find yourself hearing a lot in anime!