ざます
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
See also: さます
Japanese[edit]
Etymology[edit]
There are two leading theories for derivation.
- From おざんす (ozansu) or ざんす (zansu, “to be”, humble): /ozansu/ → /zansu/ → /zamasu/[1][2][3]
- From ござります (gozarimasu, archaic form of modern ございます (gozaimasu, “to be”, humble)): /ɡozarimasu/ → */ɡozamasu/ → /zamasu/[1][2]
Considering that zamasu is first cited to 1761,[1] while ozansu is not cited until 1778[4] and zansu in 1787,[5] and considering also the odd sound shift required from zansu to zamasu, the derivation directly from ござります (gozarimasu) appears more likely. That said, ozansu and zansu are also derivatives of ござります (gozarimasu).
Pronunciation[edit]
Verb[edit]
- [from 1761] (archaic, auxiliary) to be
- c. 1761, Sato no Sora Yume no Yozakura:
- おやおや、おやおや、さうざますかえ。それはまあお仕合せ
- Oyaoya, oyaoya, sō zamasu kae. Sore wa mā o-shiawase
- Oh my, oh my, is that so? Well, that is a blessing
- おやおや、おやおや、さうざますかえ。それはまあお仕合せ
- 1863, Kawatake Mokuami, Sandaibanashi Kōza no Shinsaku:
- 私もいっしょに死にとうざます
- Watakushi mo issho ni shinitō zamasu
- I am going to die with you also
- 私もいっしょに死にとうざます
- [from 1833] (archaic) to be
- 1833, Tamenaga Shunsui, Shunshoku Umegoyomi:
- 世話をして上げゑしたのが、私のあやまりでざますから
- Sewa o shite agē shita no ga, wachiki no ayamari de zamasu kara
- I took care of it for you, because it is my mistake
- 世話をして上げゑしたのが、私のあやまりでざますから
Usage notes[edit]
The auxiliary attaches to the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative or stem form”) of a verb, similar to modern polite ending ます (-masu).
Originally this word was associated with prostitutes or lower class women during the Edo Period. It later came to be thought of as a polite or refined form to be used by lower class or upper class women.[1]
Conjugation[edit]
Conjugation of "ざます" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs.)
| Stem forms | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Imperfective (未然形) | － | －
| |
| Continuative (連用形) | ざまし | zamashi
| |
| Terminal (終止形) | ざます | zamasu
| |
| Attributive (連体形) | ざます | zamasu
| |
| Hypothetical (仮定形) | ざませ | zamase
| |
| Imperative (命令形) | ざませ | zamase
| |
| Key constructions | |||
| Passive | － | －
| |
| Causative | － | －
| |
| Potential | － | －
| |
| Volitional | － | －
| |
| Negative | － | －
| |
| Negative continuative | － | －
| |
| Formal | － | －
| |
| Perfective | － | －
| |
| Conjunctive | － | －
| |
| Hypothetical conditional | － | －
| |
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 “ざます”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)[1] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
- ^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
- ^ “おざんす”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)[2] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000
- ^ “ざんす”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)[3] (in Japanese), concise edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000