The contemporary use of honorifics in Lhasa Tibetan

Abstract

The modern Lhasa dialect (also called U-Tsang dialect ) has inherited from its past a complex honorific system. Its complexity is due primarily to its variant verbal and nonverbal forms. The present state of flux of these forms and their functions makes the system even more intricate. More specifically, the contemporary use of honorifics is fluctuating, reflecting ongoing changes in education, technology and industrialization in Lhasa society.