Ko-so-a-do Words
Take a look at the chart below, first.
Ko-so-a-do words are not as simple as they seem to be.
Be careful when you put the politeness in each word.
There are two types of the usage; usage for spatial deixis and usage for discourse deixis /abstract concepts
italics: polite word
indicate the thing, place, people, direction that is in the speaker's area |
listener's area | far from both | make a question | |
ko- | so- | a- | do- | |
thing | kore this |
sore that |
are that over there | dore which |
kono hon this book which is in speaker's area |
sono hon that book
which
is in listner's area |
ano hon that book which is far from both |
dono hon which book | |
location | koko here | soko there | asoko over there | doko where |
kono basho this place | sono basho that place |
ano basho that place over there |
dono basho which place | |
people | kochira this person |
sochira that person |
achira that person over there |
donata, dare who |
kono hito this person kono kata |
sono hito that person sono kata |
ano hito that person over there ano kata |
dono hito which person
dono kata |
|
location direction |
kochira here, this way |
sochira there, that way |
achira over there | dochira where which direction |
(in casual talk) | kocchi this one, here, this way |
socchi that one there, that way |
acchi over there | docchi which
direction |
indication, state of thing/ event (as an adverb) |
koo <- kou like this | soo <-sou like that | aa like that | doo <-dou how |
indication, state of thing / event (as an adjectival noun= na-adjective) |
konna this kind of | sonna that kind of | anna that kind of | donna what kind of |
It is very interesting that all question words except "What"
are shown up in this chart.
Let's take a look at the usage, next.
People
Who is that person?
Which person?
( A san): person A
B san: person B
(He) is Mr. Suzuki.
The left person.
I am Fukuroo hakase.
Things
Now, she
is showing the picture of Sukiyaki to her penpal.
Hiroko
her penpal, Sarah
Hiroko: Ee tottemo.
Yes, very (tasty). ("tottemo" is emphasis on "totemo")
Sarah: Koko de wa azarashi no niku o taberun desu yo.
Here, we eat seal meat.
Hiroko: Hee! Soko wa ima nando gurai desu ka.
Oh my! What is the temperature there, in Alaska now?
Sarah: Soo desu nee. mainasu 45 do gurai desu. Let me see. about minus 45 degrees.
This is the result of a questionaire.
Kore wa ( ) desu.
This graph shows sleeping hours of yours.
Kono grafu wa minasan no suiminjikan o shimeshiteimasu.
Please wait for updating.
Thank you.