39340
In the answer to this question I asked ([When to use である vs
であります?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/36305/10795)), sazarando
responded by saying that "である" is formal but not polite, and "です" is polite
but not formal. I sort of understand the distinction he was making, but from
my English perspective, I suppose I don't understand why you would want to be
formal and not polite at the same time.

The example he gave for である was

> A politician giving a speech on TV:
>
> 我々は日本国民である - We are Japanese citizens

In this example, why would the politician not want to be polite to the people
to whom he is speaking? I understand why you would not use である when talking
to, say, a superior at work, because that's simply a private conversation
where you need to be respectful to your superior. But in the above case where
you're speaking in public or writing in a newspaper or something, I don't
understand why you wouldn't be polite as well as formal.

Also as a side question, in some academic presentations I've witnessed, the
presenter simply uses 謙譲語, rather than using formal speech, so they would end
sentences with でございます rather than であります or である. What would be the explanation
for this?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-01T07:47:45.480
36338
2016-09-20T06:23:49.440
2017-04-13T12:43:44.397
-1
10795
question
politeness copula formality academic-japanese
What is the difference between formal and polite verb forms?
I usually hear "である" in formal situations but when the speaker is not
addressing anyone in particular, but is just making a statement.

What sazarando means by "polite" is situations where the speaker is addressing
someone in particular (often someone right in front of them or on the phone).
And in these cases, you will most likely hear 謙譲語 spoken to you as it is the
language they are required to use while serving someone in particular during
their job.

While a politician serves the people, making a statement need not be "polite"
in the way I just described. Indeed, you will hear である in a lot of similar
situations such as news, documentaries, TV programs, speeches, textbooks, etc.

"です" is a general medium-ground politeness level that can be used towards
strangers but not while you are on the job and serving them. I think that is
why it is taught so often in introductory classes because it is a social
position that non-Japanese will likely find themselves in when interacting
with native Japanese.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-05T15:00:15.383
36446
2016-07-05T15:00:15.383
3128
36338
answer
By "formal" [they](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/36306/7810) seem to
have meant "literary", "solemn", "lofty" and such things, while "polite" seems
more about social courtesy. In this sense:

  * **"Formal" or not** : _get_ vs _obtain_ ; _job_ vs _profession_ ; _cold_ vs _rhinopharyngitis_ etc.
  * **"Polite" or not** : _Can I..._ vs _May I..._ ; _want_ vs _would like_ ; _Can you..._ vs _Would you mind..._ etc.

Thus, the style in academic papers is typically "formal but not polite", and
the way a hotel clerk speaks to customers is "polite but not formal". Japanese
honorifics denote "politeness" and we don't have grammar represents the degree
of "formality" they said.

> だ -- plain (not formal nor polite)  
>  です -- polite  
>  でございます -- double-plus-polite  
>  である -- formal  
>  であります -- formal and polite
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-20T06:23:49.440
39340
2016-09-20T06:23:49.440
2017-04-13T12:43:44.260
-1
7810
36338
answer