We find here a good example of ingrained class differences expressed in language. Rikou, Gankyuu, and Kiwa don't use honorifics with Shushou, but Shoutan (a middle-aged man) addresses a twelve-year-old using "sama," a high honorific, because he's reflexively placed her in the same social caste as his employer. Nor does Shushou object to this.

Youko, though, grew up in modern Japan and gets so annoyed at constantly being kowtowed to that she bans the practice. Rikou remarks about this unusual change to the accepted rules of imperial etiquette in "Kizan."

Labels: 12 kingdoms, language, tonan