JLPT N1 reference · Pragmatics and register
Deliberate style switching
A shift can mark intimacy, distance, quotation, irony, institutional voice, or a change in footing.
Core meaning and form
Shift between plain, polite, honorific, written, dialectal, or character styles to signal relationship and stance. Unmotivated mixing sounds unstable; interpret who is speaking to whom, in what role, and for what local effect.
- Form: Shift between plain, polite, honorific, written, dialectal, or character styles to signal relationship and stance.
- Core use: A shift can mark intimacy, distance, quotation, irony, institutional voice, or a change in footing.
- Context: Unmotivated mixing sounds unstable; interpret who is speaking to whom, in what role, and for what local effect.
Examples in context
普段は敬語だが、二人だけになると普通体に変わった。Fudan wa keigo da ga, futari dake ni naru to futsūtai ni kawatta.They normally used honorifics, but switched to plain style when alone.
会議では標準語を使い、家では方言に戻る。Kaigi dewa hyōjungo o tsukai, ie dewa hōgen ni modoru.She uses standard Japanese in meetings and returns to dialect at home.
急に「承知しました」と改まった言い方をした。Kyū ni shōchi shimashita to aratamatta iikata o shita.He suddenly switched to the formal phrase “Understood.”
Common errors
- Do not select this pattern from an English translation alone; check its attachment and discourse function.
- Keep the surrounding sentence in a consistent plain, polite, spoken, or written register.
Quick summary
- Shift between plain, polite, honorific, written, dialectal, or character styles to signal relationship and stance.
- A shift can mark intimacy, distance, quotation, irony, institutional voice, or a change in footing.
- Unmotivated mixing sounds unstable; interpret who is speaking to whom, in what role, and for what local effect.