formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Joshua 2:11

We were afraid translates the Hebrew “our hearts melted”; the synonymous we have all lost our courage translates “and everyone’s spirit no longer rose up.” In place of employing two nonfigurative statements (We were afraid and we have all lost our courage), it may be more effective to use a figurative expression, as the Hebrew text does. Languages abound with their own expressions of fear, and it may be natural to use two such figures, as with the Hebrew. On the other hand, it may be that the intensity of the fear is actually strengthened by the use of a single statement, whether figurative or nonfigurative. It is possible also to combine a nonfigure with a figure: “We were so frightened that our bones knocked.”

The last sentence may be rendered, “The LORD your God rules in heaven above and also here on earth.” Or, it may be necessary to preface the statement with a comment such as “We know that the LORD your God rules….”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .