įor example, in English one could say 'Excuse me, Mx Ishiyama, but I cannot hear you. However, when referring to an individual, the use of suffixes on pronouns can be used to indicate levels of politeness. Rather, a Japanese speaker would refer to another individual, whether it be in the second person or third person, by their family name. Pronouns are rarely used in Japanese compared to English. Choice on level of speech, politeness, body language and appropriate content is assessed on a situational basis, and intentional misuse of these social cues can be offensive to the listener in conversation. In Japanese culture, social hierarchy plays a significant role in the way one speaks to the various people they interact with on a day-to-day basis.
