polite language; polite form
Linguistic term for the polite speech style marked by です and ます, as opposed to plain form. Often contrasted with 尊敬語 and 謙譲語 within keigo.
Japanese polite language includes 'desu' and 'masu'.
It is normal to use polite language with someone you meet for the first time.
Compound of 丁寧 (ていねい, 'polite, courteous') + 語 (ご, 'language, word'). The term is a modern linguistic classification.