[hprotagonist]

> For example, to most Europeans, the idea that you would need to estimate your social rank to properly address someone is utterly alien.

A phenomenon that is, at best, about a century old. Maybe.

That there aren’t grammatical forms or special declensions of words that signal rank relationships (as there are in, say, japanese) does not for an instant mean that we do not consciously choose linguistic styles based on social structure. Especially in Europe.

[mistermann]

> That there aren’t grammatical forms or special declensions of words that signal rank relationships (as there are in, say, japanese) does not for an instant mean that we do not consciously choose linguistic styles based on social structure. Especially in Europe.

Is it then logical to conclude that in the general area of the topic of discussion, there is in fact no noteworthy difference between Japanese and other cultures? There is nothing that exists in reality within this domain that has escaped the gaze of science?

[kmonsen]

In Norwegian you still have to address the king with a more polite pronoun, my grandmother would use this pronoun generally for richer people.

As I understand in Swedish you still need to know someone’s progression to address them politely “how would the software engineer like his coffee?”

Edit: also in Norway most women would wear head coverings when outside 100 years ago. We are not that far from having a culture most of us despise today.