part, the absolutely necessary personal references are
introduced by honorifics; that is, by honorary or humble expressions.
Such is a portion of the latter's duty. They do a great deal of
unnecessary work besides.

These honorifics are, taken as a whole, one of the most interesting
peculiarities of Japanese, as also of Korean, just as, taken in detail,
they are one of its most dangerous pitfalls. For silence is indeed
golden compared with the chagrin of discovering that a speech which you
had meant for a compliment was, in fact, an insult, or the vexation of
learning that you have been industriously treating your servant with the
deference due a superior,--two catastrophes sure to follow the attempts
of even the most cautious of beginners. The language is so thoroughly
imbued with the honorific spirit that the exposure of truth in all its
naked simplicity is highly improper. Every idea requires to be more or
less clothed in courtesy before it is presentable; and the garb demanded
by etiquette is complex beyond conception. To begin with, there are
certain preliminary particles which are simply honorific, serving no
other purpose whatsoever. In addition to these there are for every
action a small infinity of verbs, each sacred to a different degree
of respect. For instance, to our verb "to give" corresponds a complete
social scale of Japanese verbs, each conveying the idea a shade more
politely than its predecessor; only the very lowest meaning anything
so plebeian as simply "to give." Sets of laudatory or depreciatory
adjectives are employed in the same way. Lastly, the word for "is,"
which strictly means "exists," expresses this existence under three
different forms,--in a matter-of-fact, a flowing, or an inflated style;
the solid, liquid, and gaseous states of conversation, so to speak, to
suit the person addressed. But three forms being far too few for the
needs of so elaborate a politeness, these are supplemented by many
interpolated grades.

Terms of respect are applied not only to those mortals who are held in
estimation higher than their fellows, but to all men indiscriminately as
well. The grammatical attitude of the individual toward the speaker is
of as much importance as his social standing, I being beneath contempt,
and you above criticism.

Honorifics are used not only on all possible occasions for courtesy, but
at times, it would seem, upon impossible ones; for in some instances the
most subtle diagnosi