Adressing a stranger
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Adressing a stranger
I was watching the anime Detective Conan, and I noticed that they would call strangers uncle or aunt, and I was wondering why. Does uncle and aunt not mean family in Japan? Or is Uncle just Sir, and Aunt just Ma'am?
Re: Adressing a stranger
Ojisan (uncle) and obasan (aunt) are commonly used to refer to man and women of middle age. A couple of manga I have read had characters in their 20s complain about being called "ojisan" by children; one suggested "onisan" (big brother) be used instead.
Richard VanHouten
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- Yudan Taiteki
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Re: Adressing a stranger
My impression is that it's a little childish, though, I wouldn't use that type of address if you are high school age or beyond, particularly if you're a male.
-Chris Kern
Re: Adressing a stranger
I've seen plenty of grown men using it. And by grown men I mean guys old enough to have kids who have kids.Yudan Taiteki wrote:My impression is that it's a little childish, though, I wouldn't use that type of address if you are high school age or beyond, particularly if you're a male.
Never underestimate my capacity for pettiness.
- Harisenbon
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Re: Adressing a stranger
However, you need to be careful about who you use it with.Mike Cash wrote: I've seen plenty of grown men using it. And by grown men I mean guys old enough to have kids who have kids.
Calling random people おじさん or おばさん might offend them (especially the latter)

Whenever I find myself NEEDing a pronoun to address someone, I always err on the side of だんな or おくさん.
- Yudan Taiteki
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- Joined: Wed 11.01.2006 11:32 pm
- Native language: English
Re: Adressing a stranger
Well, my impressions aren't always right.Mike Cash wrote:I've seen plenty of grown men using it. And by grown men I mean guys old enough to have kids who have kids.Yudan Taiteki wrote:My impression is that it's a little childish, though, I wouldn't use that type of address if you are high school age or beyond, particularly if you're a male.

-Chris Kern
Re: Adressing a stranger
And the folks I see aren't necessarily always something I would recommend to others as role models.Yudan Taiteki wrote:Well, my impressions aren't always right. :)Mike Cash wrote:I've seen plenty of grown men using it. And by grown men I mean guys old enough to have kids who have kids.Yudan Taiteki wrote:My impression is that it's a little childish, though, I wouldn't use that type of address if you are high school age or beyond, particularly if you're a male.
Never underestimate my capacity for pettiness.
Re: Adressing a stranger
In what situation(s) would you use パパ, ママ, お父さん, and お母さん? Now that I think about it, I can't recall using だんな or おくさん without having first heard somebody else using it and I otherwise don't know which is appropriate when.Harisenbon wrote:However, you need to be careful about who you use it with.
Calling random people おじさん or おばさん might offend them (especially the latter)
Whenever I find myself NEEDing a pronoun to address someone, I always err on the side of だんな or おくさん.
And does anybody anywhere still use 女将さん or is simply a thing of old-timey novels and movies?
-Eric