Quite a while ago, I was reading a book about kinship terminology and relationships in different cultures. IIRC in Europe (at least for the common people) inheritance would be split. But in Asia/Japan, the eldest son got most if not all of the inheritance. Therefore, the eldest son supposedly had a special role.
Whether this is true or not, a noticeable difference between East-Asian and European languages is that the former have a term specifically for older and for younger siblings (Japan doesn’t go as far as Vietnamese tho, where the age difference between a parent and uncle/aunt matter as well). I don’t know if this is just a fake internet fact or the truth, but I’ve heard of the tradition that a younger brother had to give off his wife if his older brother demanded it. Nevertheless, older siblings are still regarded with much higher honour than they do here in Europe.
Now here comes the fact that I read in a very reputable book but cannot find again: it reported in a footnote that in historical Japan (don’t know if they mean the Meiji, Edo, or an earlier period), because the role of the oldest son had such a special role, a special exception existed to the rule where you use honorifics for those above or older than you (okaa-san, otou-san, nii-san etc.) as opposed to just calling someone by their name (never heard of using otouto or imouto as form of address). Apparently, a special title/word existed that parents would use to refer to their eldest son (I don’t think daughter had this). However, the source linked was in japanese or was unfindable or something, and I cannot find this back anymore. Can someone confirm this was the case and what word may have been used? It’s likely a pretty antiquated word that most people nowadays aren’t too familiar with.
If someone has anything interesting to say about kinship terminology in Japanese, I’d love to hear it as well. Complicating factors as in- and outgroups as well as other reasons to be honorific makes this a very difficult but also very interesting topic!
(sideline: the -ue being replaced by -san, like otoosan instead of chichi-ue is something interesting to hear about as well)
4 comments
If you mean a special *honorific*, I don’t know a specific one for the eldest son. The eldest son is 長男, but 長女 and 次男 etc. also exist, so it’s not a unique term.
I’m not sure about the idea of an ‘exception’ to the honorific rule. Honorifics are placed out of politeness (usually). Their absence leans slightly towards the side of disrespectful (though not always), so I’m not sure what kind of exception is being referred to there without seeing the original source.
Also, regarding 上 (ue) and さん, they are different beasts. 上 is a bit more formal. On that note, 兄上 (aniue) and 姉上 (aneue) do exist, and they are a bit more formal than 兄さん and 姉さん.
It is true that in the past, the eldest son generally inherited more, but there is no honorific title that specifically honors only the eldest son.
The term “上” or “様” was not limited to the eldest brother, but was used to refer to all brothers and sisters who were older than oneself.
In addition, if it exists as a custom in some remote hidden village, I don’t know about it, but at least there is no such custom in Japan that the younger brother must give up his wife if the older brother demands it.
The legal term which still has special connotations and expectations is 長男…on official forms, son or child is not used but 長男 is the correct term. 長女 is also used in some cases. If you apply for PR and are married, these terms separate the wheat from the chaff.
Companies too take notice of 長男 as they are usually designated as executors of a will and in a majority of cases will receive the family home and pay the inheritance taxes on it, and are responsible for cleaning the shrine at お盆. The relevancy is losing its importance each and every day for better or worse.
Hoho, I found the word I was looking for through an extensive search through my browser history, sadly not yet the source itself. The supposed word for eldest brother as form of address apparently was “annya”. Does that word ring a bell for anyone?