Er, quick question

[infinitefirefly.livejournal.com]

I was re-watching episode 84 because I needed some details for a fic I'm writing, and I have a few questions.

In the anime, Sasuke refers to his mum as Kaasan. Is that a short-form way of saying Okaasan? If yes, then does Kaasan mean something more along the lines of "Mom" or "Ma" rather than "Mother"?

Because I think Okaasan is a formal way of saying "Mother" and means just that. XD So what variation of "Mother" does Kaasan refer to?

Comments

[superheroine]

Young children usually just drop the "O" because the "o" is usually added to be a term of respect... obaachan/baachan, kaasan/okaasan, etc.

It's like "mommy".

[lain-chan16.livejournal.com]

Really? Oh wow I learned something new!

...*runs away*

[kunoichi-jaden.livejournal.com]

"kaasan" is like saying mommy ^_^ Also, there's an even more formal way of saying mother than "okaasan" but I definitely can't spell it in romaji ^^';; Sorry! But I'm sure someone else would know...

[blacknymph.livejournal.com]

Actually, that's when you're referring to them to someone else. Like, if you were talking about your own mother to someone else, and she wasn't there, then you'd use haha, but if you're talking about someone else's mom, then you use okaasan, including the o because their...erm status? is higher than yours.

Kaa-san is used to speak to your mom. "Kaa-san, uchi ni kaeru, ne?" (Mom, I'm going back home, 'kay?) It could really be 'mom', or 'mommy', or 'mother'. I don't think there are any real variations.

[blacknymph.livejournal.com]

I think that too much formality between family members is considered rude, but I'm not sure. Kinda like introducing your spouse (or yourself) with a suffix.

(I totally agree. Fugaku's not a bad father, but I don't think he'd be a cuddly father either. o.o)

Seriously. I think it's funny that they let children curse (kuso, chikusho, yarou, etc.), but if they don't use the "arimasu" form, then the teachers swoop down like nuns with rulers.

[rinnychan.livejournal.com]

kaachan = mommy
kaasan = mom
okaasan = mother
hahaue = mother, very formal

[napkins.livejournal.com]

hmm....he could have used haha-ue, but that's kinda older. It's more formal, because the -ue part basically makes the translation "honored mother", but not many people use -ue, and if they do, it's used more towards male relatives than female.

[ed77warr.livejournal.com]

OT, but your icon made me giggle-snort. >>; ♥

[yira-heerai.livejournal.com]

His mother seems very sweet with him, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was using "Mama" XD;; That's just me though >_>;

But considering the replies you've gotten and my own very limited knowledge, I'd say he was using "Mom" o_o;

..Sorry, I can't get the image of Uchiha Sasuke saying "Mama" out of my head. *runns off to laugh until she dies*

[elict.livejournal.com]

in japanese, there are many (many!) ways of saying these kind of family-names. in the case of "mother" there are plenty.

in order most formal -> least formal:

haha-ue
okaa-sama
okaa-san
kaa-san
kaa-chan

it doesn't really work well with a direct translation, since it's so very, very formal in some cases. in the case of "haha-ue" it would probably be translated to "honoured mother" while "kaa-chan" would be "dear little mother" or something like that. o_O

hope that helped ^^

[blacknymph.livejournal.com]

XFD I love that icon. I didn't make it, though. v.v

[shigeruhiko.livejournal.com]

See, but the think I've learned with japanese "curses" is that they really aren't curses. Depending on how you say it, 'kuso' could be as mean as 'shit' or as mild as 'crap.' Seriously. And kids don't curse too much (I've only seen mine do it a handful of times, and I reach them english. you KNOW they hate that with a passion).

about "~masu" form. . . man, I havn't head any of my teachers here swoop down on them for using plain form. But that could be because I live out in the boonies, and no one cares? HAHA. XD I love this country.

[nan-desu-ka.livejournal.com]

So, would it be the same with father? 'Cause father's otousan, right? So would tou-chan be like "daddy" and such? Also, is there a very formal variant of father as well?

[peace-piper.livejournal.com]

I'd go with "kaasan" as "mom", myself. It's not terribly formal like "okaasama" or informal like "kaachan".

Of note, is that Shikamaru still calls his mother "kaachan" at age 15, (mommy) but calls his father "oyaji" (old man).

Itachi calls his mother "haha-ue". Very polite and formal. And perhaps to distance himself from his parents, now that I think about it, but I'm drifting.

[elict.livejournal.com]

mother: (most formal --> least formal)
haha-ue (can be said without the "ue")
okaa-sama
okaa-san
kaa-san
kaa-chan

father: (most formal --> least formal)
chichi-ue (can be said without the "ue")
otou-sama
otou-san
tou-san
tou-chan

brother: (fost formal --> least formal)
aniki (only said to an older brother)
otoutou (only said to a younger brother)
onii-sama
onii-san
nii-san
nii-chan

sister: (most formal -->least formal)
an-ue (only said to an older sister)(can not be said without the "ue" ...i think :P)
imoutou (only said to a younger sister)
onee-sama
onee-san
nee-san
nee-chan

there! finally i get to show off my skills! :P hehe... i hope that helped. there are still the other family names, like uncle, and grandmother and such, i'll write them down too if anyone asks me.

hugs!

[nan-desu-ka.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thank you! I always like learning about this stuff. ^^

[elict.livejournal.com]

hehe me too ^^ glad to help!