Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Is this polite?

  1. #1
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14

    Is this polite?

    I wonder, is it OK to say smth like 遅れちゃった instead of 遅れてしまった in polite speech? Does it sound feminine?
    e.g.
    誕生日パーティに遅れちゃったけど来ないよりはいいでしょ?
    (off alc.co.jp)

  2. #2
    Новичок
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    7
    Rep Power
    12

    Re: Is this polite?

    Quote Originally Posted by laxxy
    I wonder, is it OK to say smth like 遅れちゃった instead of 遅れてしまった in polite speech? Does it sound feminine?
    e.g.
    誕生日パーティに遅れちゃったけど来ないよりはいいでしょ?
    (off alc.co.jp)
    friendly. but i think its okay if u r b-day partying with your close friends, but if u got to give a speech in a serious place thats kinda funny. maybe sounds humorous.

    polite way
    誕生日パーティに遅れちゃったけど、来ないよりはいいですよね?

    but i think the speech is funny anyway

  3. #3
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14
    どうもありがとう。

  4. #4
    MOG
    MOG is offline
    Почтенный гражданин
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    703
    Rep Power
    13
    I don’t think you should use ~しちゃった in polite speech. It has a shade of currying sb’s favor and may sound feminine, but not so much, males often use it, too. Rather, I think it sounds childish to some extent.
    A man would say
    遅れたけど来ないよりましだろ(う)?
    If polite
    遅れてしまいましたが、来ないよりはいいですよね?
    But I want to argue that besides excusing, saying 来ないよりいい sounds arrogant if not rude. If you’re in a formal situation, you should excuse for being late anyway.
    遅れて(しまって)申し訳ありません〔すみません〕。
    Though it depends. I can't speak of others.

  5. #5
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by MOG
    I don’t think you should use ~しちゃった in polite speech. It has a shade of currying sb’s favor and may sound feminine, but not so much, males often use it, too. Rather, I think it sounds childish to some extent.
    A man would say
    遅れたけど来ないよりましだろ(う)?
    If polite
    遅れてしまいましたが、来ないよりはいいですよね?
    But I want to argue that besides excusing, saying 来ないよりいい sounds arrogant if not rude. If you’re in a formal situation, you should excuse for being late anyway.
    遅れて(しまって)申し訳ありません〔すみません〕。
    Though it depends. I can't speak of others.
    Thanks. Yes, naturally, that example is not too polite to start with, if one thinks about the meaning My question was mostly just about ~ちゃった vs. ~てしまった.

Similar Threads

  1. polite questions
    By brokev03 in forum Grammar and Vocabulary
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: March 1st, 2007, 10:47 AM
  2. How to express my empathy correct and polite?
    By Dr. in forum Learn English - Грамматика, переводы, словарный запас
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: February 10th, 2007, 06:27 PM
  3. polite society
    By BJ in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 34
    Last Post: January 12th, 2006, 02:20 AM
  4. Being polite...
    By BabaYaga in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: January 2nd, 2006, 09:37 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


Russian Lessons                           

Russian Tests and Quizzes            

Russian Vocabulary