Shinasthana honorifics
Shinasthana honorifics are a system of honorific speech employed in Shinasthana, principally by Themiclesians but also by speakers of other nationalities. While most of these honorifics originated from politics and social conventions in Themiclesia, they are now broadly applied by speakers to interlocutors and referents, regardless of their nationalities.
Principles
As in many other langauges, customary honorifics in Themiclesian usage generally elevates the listener and demeans the speaker, in both directions. The same applies to other persons or things connected with these parties. This is called the "primary axis" (大旨) of honorific speech. While the primary axis is usually plainly discernable, the extent of the ego, i.e. the persons and things humbled due to connection with the speaker, depends on context. In some situations (see below) it may be as large as the speaker's entire country, while in some other cases the country will be mentioned as a third party and not humbled, or even honorificated if the ambit of the current conversation permits. Generally, individuals connected by blood or marriage to the speaker is humbled before a non-relative, but the speaker's country and government are not usually humbled while speaking to a foreigner, unless the conversation focuses on nationalities.
While the primary axis establishes a strict hierarchy between the speaker and listener, other hierarchies, such as between parent and child, ruler and subject, employer and employee, etc., are also recognized honorifically, whether they are associated with the speaker or listener. These are called "secondary axes" (次旨). Generally speaking, a secondary honorific cannot be spoken of more highly than the primary (the listener). When a hierarchy associated with the listener places him in an inferior position relative to a third party, it is preferred to speak of the third party honorifically but not elevate him over the listener. In an extreme example, an ambassador usually calls his own country "the contemptible city" (敝邑) and his sovereign "the insignificant ruler" (寡小君) in order to elevate the listener and his country and/or ruler, but said ruler's act of giving to the ambassador will still be referred to honorifically; at least in formal situations, this honorific usage is done without respect to the listener's position.
Outside of the primary and secondary axes, certain persons, things, or things associated with them may be referred to "generally honorifically" (散旨). This is considered customary in speech and writing not directed towards any particular person. Sometimes these are called "absolute honorifics" in Dayashinese fashion, as they are honorificated even if not associated with the listener. In a way, general honorifics are a broader application of the secondary axes employed in conversations. Some Shinasthana speakers, particularly those not associated with Themiclesian culture, eschew general honorifics and observe only those connected to the speaker and listener.
Many etiquette manuals state that there are two main errors in Shinasthana honorifics—self-honorification and imposed honorification. Self-honorification occurs when the speaker, intentionally or unintentionally, honorificates himself or something clearly connected with him. Imposed honorification refers to the situation when a third referent is honorificated over the listener him/herself. Certain forms of writing like legislation, academic compositions, and newspaper articles use honorifics sparingly to indicate neutrality or objectivity; however, even in these contexts, words addressed to specific individuals are usually still honorofic, such as footnotes on an academic article or a solicitation for subscriptions on a newspaper.
Honorifics are usually absent in archaicizing writing, as they are absent in the oldest of documents and are not thought to be introduced until the 3rd c. CE.