t
the studied evasion of first personal pronouns by cultured people in
the West is due to their developed consciousness of self? Is it
possible for one who has no consciousness of self to conceive as
impolite the excessive use of egoistic forms of speech? From this
point of view we might argue that, because of the deficiency of her
personal pronouns, the Japanese nation has advanced far beyond any
other nation in the process of self-consciousness. But this too would
be an error. Nevertheless, so far from saying that the lack of
personal pronouns is a proof of the "impersonality" of the Japanese, I
think we may fairly use it as a disproof of the proposition.

The argument for the inherent impersonality of the Japanese mind
because of the relative lack of personal pronouns is still further
undermined by the discovery, not only of many substitutes, but also of
several words bearing the strong impress of the conception of self.
There are said to be three hundred words which may be used as personal
pronouns--"Boku," "servant," is a common term for "I," and "kimi,"
"Lord," for "you"; these words are freely used by the student class.
Officials often use "Konata," "here," and "Anata," "there," for the
first and second persons. "Omaye," "honorably in front," is used both
condescendingly and honorifically; "you whom I condescend to allow in
my presence," and "you who confer on me the honor of entering your
presence." The derivation of the most common word for I, "Watakushi,"
is unknown, but, in addition to its pronominal use, it has the meaning
of "private." It has become a true personal pronoun and is freely used
by all classes.

In addition to the three hundred words which may be used as personal
pronouns the Japanese language possesses an indefinite number of ways
for delicately suggesting the personal element without its express
utterance. This is done either by subtle praise, which can then only
refer to the person addressed or by more or less bald
self-depreciation, which can then only refer to the first person. "Go
kanai," "honorable within the house," can only mean, according to
Japanese etiquette, "your wife," or "your family," while "gu-sai,"
"foolish wife," can only mean "my wife." "Gufu," "foolish father,"
"tonji," "swinish child," and numberless other depreciatory terms such
as "somatsu na mono," "coarse thing," and "tsumaranu mono," "worthless
thing," according to the genius of the language can only refer to the