The word used is "danna". It -could- be used to say "master", but its common usage - since a long time ago, in fact - gives it the connotation of "husband".
However, "danna" is also an acceptable title for the master of a household or - particularly in this case - a shop.
Compare the word "goshujin" - colloquial meaning "husband", more literally "master".
Quite telling that most of the Japanese terms for a married man imply that he is the "master".
sgcdonmai said: Quite telling that most of the Japanese terms for a married man imply that he is the "master".
I was struck by that too but it's the same in most (or maybe all) languages. "Husband" originally meant "master of the house" whereas "wife" simply meant "woman". On the other hand "Bride" just means "woman being married" whereas "groom" has lots of etymological roots in words for "servant". Odd.
Also, "marriage" originally meant "gamble" (though it could be that "marriage" was used as slang for that purpose) but in some languages simply meant "to provide a man with a woman" or something to that effect.
All that aside, let's not forget that it's totally standard for the woman to take the man's last name and would seem odd if the man took the woman's name. Women that refuse to take their husband's name are often seen as being "difficult" or some other negative thing.
A woman refusing to take her husband's surname just shows she has a sense of independency that women in the past were not allowed to have.
It's not like they are trying to be difficult or "some other negative thing", they are just refusing to be defined by their marital status, something men don't have to go through at all.
Anyway, if someone can think of a better english translation of 旦那 when used in this context, speak up. My dictionary has "だんな【旦那】 (danna)〔店などの主人〕 a master;", but what do they know.
Maybe people use this context to show respect. As in Gintama,Yamazaki always call Gintoki "Danna",but obviously Gintoki doesn't have a very high social stat
Pirra said: A woman refusing to take her husband's surname just shows she has a sense of independency that women in the past were not allowed to have.
It's not like they are trying to be difficult or "some other negative thing", they are just refusing to be defined by their marital status, something men don't have to go through at all.
... That was my whole point. I was saying that while Japanese marriage-related terms do show obvious signs of sexism, so do marriage-related terms all over the world, not least of which being the whole "taking the man's name" thing and that way that if the man took the woman's name, many people would find that very odd indeed due to ingrained sexism etc.
Teclo said: I was saying that while Japanese marriage-related terms do show obvious signs of sexism, so do marriage-related terms all over the world, not least of which being the whole "taking the man's name" thing and that way that if the man took the woman's name, many people would find that very odd indeed due to ingrained sexism etc.
(late returning to the discussion, sorry) Actually, there's an interesting thing about that: in Japan, the traditional thing is for the person of lesser social/financial standing to take the surname of their spouse, regardless of which spouse it is. It's not at all unheard-of for the husband to take the wife's family name if her family was the more influential.
tonylin2 said: Wait....he is the only man in Gensokyo~!!?? Thats cool......^ ^
Nah, there are some in the human village. Rinnosuke is a human-youkai halfbreed and the only male with an active role in Gensokyo canon. Two other notable males are Konpaku Youki and Mokou's father.
datsylel said: Nah, there are some in the human village. Rinnosuke is a human-youkai halfbreed and the only male with an active role in Gensokyo canon. Two other notable males are Konpaku Youki and Mokou's father.
No Tonylin2 said it right, there are other males in Gensoukyo for sure. The human village, Youki (if he's still alive, never quite got conformation on that), and probably random weak youkai. But Rinnosuke is for sure the only "MAN" in Gensoukyo...if you don't count Cho Marisa.
Also, on the marriage name thing. I wouldn't have any problem what-so-ever taking my wife's name if it sounded better than mine. If anyone thought it weird, I'll just answer with "Hey! Don't make me get my wife!" in the most charismatic way possible.
SHUN0 said: I say that "Hakurei" sounds better than "Morichika"
Considering that it's the Hakurei shrine, and Reimu has the name Hakurei, that everyone in her family line (or at least, all females) keep the name Hakurei.
Although it is theoretically possible that females take up the miko mantle, but only inherit their powers from direct male bloodlines - females become mikos, but males get married and breed without becoming mikos. That would imply, though, that if Reimu didn't have a brother, the Hakurei line ends with her. (Of course, it's not like Reimu has a family of any sort, now is it?)
On the subject of the meaning of "Danna", an important character in the anime MAR says to call him "Danna", saying that that's what people called him back home. In the dub, they translate "Danna" as "Boss" or "the Boss".
Some older comments were worrying about Master Sparks, but if anything I'd be more concerned that Kourin might suffocate if Marisa shows up and decides to happily join the pile on the only space available, because she totally would.
Mmh...It's your regular customer, Shameimaru! Today... ayaya?Niisan, is the Road of Hades I asked for... mumu?Rinnosuke-sama, there is some business I'd like to talk with you abo... ara?Master! Come drink with me tod... oh?Whoops... did I fall asleep?What's this?...I can't move.Rin-chaan, I've come to play! Let's... oyo?Rinnosuke-san, I ran out of tea. I've come to get some new... ohn?
