Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General
Functions and Examples of the Four Apology Expressions
|
Proto-types
Formality
Functions/
|
gomennasai |
sumimasen |
moushiwake arimasen |
shitsurei shimasu* |
Informal
Semi-Formal |
Informal - Formal |
Formal |
Formal |
|
Apology |
Gomennasai, machigae mashita. |
Sumimasen, machigae mashita. |
Moushiwake
arimasen, machigae
mashita. |
Not used |
Thanks |
Gomennasai, arigatou. |
Sumimasen, demo arigatou (gozaimasu). |
Moushiwake arimasen, arigatou gozaimasu.
|
Not used
|
Getting Attention (‘excuse me’) |
Ano, cyotto gomennasai, |
Ano, sumimasenga, |
Ano moushiwake
arimasenga,
|
Shitsurei shimasu, yoroshii
Desuka?
|
Signaling an Upcoming Inquiry/ Request/ Refusal |
Gomennasai, ano onegaiga arun desukedo… |
Sumimasen, ano,
onegaiga arun desuga… |
Moushiwake
nainodesuga onegaiga aruno desuga… |
Not used |
Signaling an Upcoming Negative
Response |
Gomennasai, cyotto ikare naikamo…. |
Sumimasen, cyotto
ikenaindesu. |
Moushiwake
arimasen, cyotto
tsugouga waruinndesu. |
Not used |
Opening/ Closing/
Interrupting a Conversation |
Gomennasai, cyotto iikana? |
Sumimasen, ima
iidesuka? |
Moushiwake
arimasen, ima
yoroshii desuka? |
Shitsurei
shimasu, ima
yoroshii desuka? |
* Shitsurei shimasu here does not
include its past tense form, shitsurei
shimashita, whose range of functions is different from the
present form. (See Okamoto, S., & Tamon, Y.
(2000) for more details.)