Abstract
In order to explore the direction of appropriate bikago (beutification honorifics) usage in broadcasting, the author viewed NHK’s information program Asaichi [first in the morning] to examine the usage of bikago in the broadcast and conducted interview surveys on specific bikago, aiming at both announces who actually used the bikago expressions and viewers who heard them, to qualitatively study their attitudes towards bikago. This paper analyzes announcers’ awareness on bikago usage and viewers’ impression on it, by occasionally introducing some specific responses.- It is found that announcers take into consideration the human relationship and the situation at each scene of the program when they seek effective ways to portray themselves and featured objects or events, in the course of which they decide to use or refrain from using bikago.- The decision on whether to use bikago or not is influenced by the tendency of the bikago usage of the announcers themselves and how commonly these words are used in society.- While the viewers are generally favorable about bikago used by the announcers, but some feel unconfutable about the overuse of honorific prefix “o” or the lack of it for some cases. These attitudes have a heavily linked to gender difference.- In general, viewers want to hear bikago in broadcast programs, and announcers tend to use bikago for many occasions as they try to respond to the viewers’ expectations. At the same time, announcers try not to overuse bikago as their norm consciousness tells them that too much honorifics should be avoided. As a result, the appropriate bikago usage is maintained.
