2nd person pronoun with low register (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 second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used anata (あなた) is typically used when the speaker is humbly addressing another person.

In these verses, however, omae (おまえ) is used, a cruder second person pronoun, that Jesus for instance chooses when chiding his disciples. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also first person pronoun with low register and third person pronoun with low register.

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Kings 2:26

Section 2:26-35

King Solomon banished Abiathar the priest and had Joab killed

2:26a Then the king said to Abiathar the priest,

Then the king said to the priest Abiathar,
-or-
King ⌊Solomon⌋ told Abiathar ⌊God’s⌋ priest

2:26b “Go back to your fields in Anathoth.

“Go (sing) home to your land/property in Anathoth.
-or-
to return to the land/farm he owned at ⌊the town of⌋ Anathoth.

2:26c Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time,

You (sing) are a man deserving/worthy of death! However, I will not have you executed today/now,
-or-
He said to Abiathar, “You (sing) should be killed/executed. But I will spare you for now.

2:26d since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David,

because you (sing) carried the box of Yahweh the Lord for my father ⌊King⌋ David.
-or-
You (sing) served my father David by carrying Lord Yahweh’s ⌊wooden⌋ chest ⌊as high priest.⌋

2:26e and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”

You (sing) lived through many difficult/hard times with my father.”
-or-
Also you (sing) ⌊willingly⌋ suffered/struggled through difficulties along with him.”

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