N1#keigo#honorifics#business-japanese#n1-grammar

Advanced Keigo Lesson 7

Mastering double honorifics (Nijuu Keigo) to navigate high-stakes business environments and formal social settings.

Context

The Complexity of High-Level Honorifics

In the highest levels of Japanese business, you may encounter situations where a simple honorific verb is insufficient. When speaking to a high-ranking executive or a client of extreme importance, you might accidentally combine multiple honorific forms to show extra respect, resulting in 'Nijuu Keigo' (Double Honorifics).

While double honorifics are technically considered grammatically incorrect by traditional standards, they are frequently used by native speakers in high-pressure, ultra-formal settings to signal extreme deference. Understanding how they are formed—and when they are perceived as excessive—is a hallmark of N1-level fluency.

Explanation

Understanding Double Honorifics

Double honorifics occur when two distinct honorific patterns are applied to the same verb. This usually happens by combining the 'o-verb-ni-naru' pattern with an already honorific verb, or by stacking honorific prefixes.

おHonorific Verb Baseになる

The structure typically involves taking a verb that is already honorific (like 'irassharu') and wrapping it in another honorific frame (like 'o-ni-naru'). While this is often flagged as 'incorrect' in textbooks, it is a common phenomenon in spoken Japanese known as 'Kajou Keigo' (excessive honorifics).

Watch out

Be cautious: while native speakers use these to show extreme respect, they can sound cluttered or sarcastic if used incorrectly. Always prioritize clarity and standard honorifics first.

Examples

Examples of Double Honorifics

Observe how these forms stack honorific markers to emphasize extreme distance and respect.

社長(しゃちょう)がお見えになられました。

The president has arrived.

社長しゃちょうpresidentお見えになるおみえになるto arrive (honorific)〜られましたられましたhonorific suffix

先生(せんせい)が仰られました。

The teacher said (that).

先生せんせいteacher仰るおっしゃるto say (honorific)〜られましたられましたhonorific suffix

お客様(おきゃくさま)がお帰りになられました。

The guest has returned/left.

お客様おきゃくさまguestお帰りになるおかえりになるto return (honorific)〜られましたられましたhonorific suffix

Which of these is a common 'double honorific' construction often heard in business?

✓ おっしゃられました
言われました
言いました
おっしゃいました

おっしゃられました combines the honorific verb 仰る with the passive-honorific suffix られる, creating a double honorific.

Usage

Nuance and Register

Double honorifics occupy a strange space between 'polite' and 'grammatically redundant'.

Standard vs. Double

おっしゃいました

Standard polite honorific (Correct)

先生がおっしゃいました。

おっしゃられました

Double honorific (Common but technically redundant)

先生がおっしゃられました。

When is it most appropriate to use double honorifics?

In a casual email to a friend
✓ When speaking to a superior in a very formal, high-stakes situation
When writing a formal academic paper
Never, it is always wrong

Double honorifics are a spoken phenomenon used to show extreme deference in high-stakes settings, though they are avoided in formal writing.

Deep dive

The 'Kajou Keigo' Phenomenon

Why do native speakers use 'incorrect' grammar?

The use of double honorifics is often referred to as 'Kajou Keigo' (excessive honorifics). In the Japanese linguistic landscape, the desire to show respect sometimes overrides the strict rules of grammar. By adding an extra layer of honorifics, the speaker is essentially 'doubling down' on their humility or respect toward the listener.

Note

Many Japanese style guides explicitly forbid double honorifics. If you are writing a formal report or a speech, stick to standard honorifics (e.g., 'おっしゃる' instead of 'おっしゃられる').

Summary

Lesson Summary

Double honorifics are a complex aspect of N1 Japanese. While they are often considered redundant or incorrect in formal writing, they are a common feature of spoken high-level business Japanese used to express extreme deference.

二重敬語

にじゅうけいごnoun

double honorifics

過剰敬語

かじょうけいごnoun

excessive honorifics

仰る

おっしゃるverb

to say (honorific)

お見えになる

おみえになるverb

to arrive (honorific)

敬意

けいいnoun

respect/honor