# 応答せよ



## lammn

What is the meaning of せよ used at the end of a sentence?

For example, in the TV drama "Orange Days", Sae was text messaging Kai. Kai didn't know how to answer Sae's question, and so he just gave very short replies like うん. Then, Sae wrote:

櫂くん、櫂くん、応答せよ！

I know that it means "Kai-kun, Kai-kun, anwer me!"
However, what is the meaning/funtion of せよ?
Is it a kind of modality or what?


----------



## Flaminius

Hi,

応答せよ is the imperative form of 応答する.


----------



## lammn

What is the difference between 応答せよ and 応答しろ?


----------



## wathavy

lammn said:


> What is the difference between 応答せよ and 応答しろ?


応答しろ　sounds more of order than asking.
And sounds like "Come back Jack, over".

応答せよ is more like, "Can you copy, over.".


----------



## lammn

Thanks to both of you, Flam and Wathavy! 



wathavy said:


> 応答しろ　sounds more of order than asking.
> And sounds like "Come back Jack, over".
> 
> 応答せよ is more like, "Can you copy, over.".


 
So, 応答せよ is less forceful than 応答しろ, right?

Sorry I have further questions:
Is ~せよ used by both gender?
Is する the only verb that have this kind of せよ conjugation?


----------



## Wishfull

I don't remember Japanese grammar correctly, but I think the original form of 応答せよ might be 応答す。
Ｆｏｒ　example 我　応答す。　or 我　応答せんとす。etc,etc.
It is older, written Japanese called 文語.

The original form of　応答しろ　might be 応答する。
It is called 口語。

So basically the difference of 応答せよ　and 応答しろ is the difference of modern Japanese and classical Japanese.

Now we have to consider why classical Japanese expression seems less aggressive.
I suppose that the classical Japanese expression have been used as official anauncement, millitary communications, etc.
Old written expression seems more official, and in a sense, more polite.
I think one reason why we think more polite is that we read 明治文学.
To the contrary, old written expression might have adverse nuance of harsh command, according to the context.

But in this case,
応答せよ (and ......どーぞぉー（over))　have been used in radio transceiver communication for a long time. 
It is the matter of course to use it as tele-communication's idiomatic phrase. It is very idiomatic and natural to our ears.

So my conclusion is what *Wathavy *said is correct, in today's Japan.

Edit; The polite form of 応答しろ　would be 応答してください. 応答しろ is abrupt.
And the polite form of 応答せよ　would be 応答されたし in 文語’ｓ　expression.

But I don't recommend you to use 応答されたし. Ｉｔ isn't natural to our ears now. It isn't idiomatic.


----------



## lammn

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation, Wishfull!


----------



## Hiro Sasaki

lammn said:


> What is the meaning of せよ used at the end of a sentence?
> 
> For example, in the TV drama "Orange Days", Sae was text messaging Kai. Kai didn't know how to answer Sae's question, and so he just gave very short replies like うん. Then, Sae wrote:
> 
> 櫂くん、櫂くん、応答せよ！
> 
> I know that it means "Kai-kun, Kai-kun, anwer me!"
> However, what is the meaning/funtion of せよ?
> Is it a kind of modality or what?


 
応答せよ is an official way  of talking in communication in the military. For example, they say 応答せよ to some submarine or in other circumstances. 
A boy is speaking jokingly to Kai kun. It is not a colloquial phrase between 
friends.  Kai kun 返事してよ　is a normal way of speaking betsween friends.

Hiro Sasaki


----------



## lammn

Hiro Sasaki said:


> 応答せよ is an official way of talking in communication in the military. For example, they say 応答せよ to some submarine or in other circumstances.
> A boy is speaking jokingly to Kai kun. It is not a colloquial phrase between
> friends. 返事してよ　is a normal way of speaking betsween friends.


 
Thanks for the additional information! 
I didn't know that 応答せよ is not supposed to be used even among friends.
I should use the phrase with more caution.

For your record, Sae is a lady, not a boy.
Her relationship with Kai is kind of 微妙, at a stage between friends and lovers.


----------



## Hiro Sasaki

lammn said:


> Thanks for the additional information!
> I didn't know that 応答せよ is not supposed to be used even among friends.
> I should use the phrase with more caution.
> 
> For your record, Sae is a lady, not a boy.
> Her relationship with Kai is kind of 微妙, at a stage between friends and lovers.


 
You never must say 応答せよ to your girlfriends. It's too imperative, 
and also not colloquial. Besides the military orders or commands,
応答しない　is used in techinical response. For example, you gave an
instructions to open some windows in the computer, but sometimes, 
the system do not respond to your instructions.

Hiro Sasaki


----------



## lammn

Caution taken. Thank you!


----------



## Flaminius

> 櫂くん、櫂くん、応答せよ!


This remark jocularly suggests that Sae feels Kai's mind has wandered away from her.  As many have already pointed out, 応答せよ is a set phrase used for the radio, which is a means for communication across distance.

By the way, _suru_ is even more irregular than what is taught in the first month of Japanese lessons.  Here is a link.


----------



## Aoyama

> 応答せよ is an official way of talking in communication in the military. For example, they say 応答せよ to some submarine or in other circumstances


and


> You never must say 応答せよ to your girlfriends. It's too imperative,
> and also not colloquial. Besides the military orders or commands,
> 応答しな*さ*い　is used (...)


right ... 
応答せよ (or the ending せよ with other verbs) is also used (if I am not mistaking) in examinations when you are asked to answer a question, write an opinion etc. It is a kind of "official (or bureaucratic) imperative".


----------



## Flaminius

Aoyama said:


> 応答せよ (or the ending せよ with other verbs) is also used (if I am not mistaking) in examinations when you are asked to answer a question, write an opinion etc. It is a kind of "official (or bureaucratic) imperative".


Perhaps you meant 解答せよ for the bombastic imperative used in exams?

応答 is 1. used in a very specific usage domain, and 2. usually a short utterance to confirm that one is listening, willing to respond or alive (the likes of Hi, Hello, Yes, What's up, and Yo).


----------



## Aoyama

> Perhaps you meant 解答せよ for the bombastic imperative used in exams?


abolutely, "the bombastic imperative", a good way to put things.
I guess also that you might say to your girl friend (when grilling her), instead of "応答しなさい", just "答えなさい”　or "答えて" ...


> 応答 is 1. used in a very specific usage domain, and 2. usually a short utterance to confirm that one is listening, willing to respond or alive (the likes of Hi, Hello, Yes, What's up, and Yo).


Or, simply "copy", as in "do you copy" etc, as mentioned by wathavy :



> 応答せよ is more like, "Can you copy, over.".


 (#4)


----------



## lammn

Flaminius said:


> This remark jocularly suggests that Sae feels Kai's mind has wandered away from her.


 
I think I've got the idea now. Thank you!
To be exact, Kai was not inattentive to Sae's word. He just did not know _how_ to respond to Sae's previous message that she was rejected by her senpai.



Flaminius said:


> By the way, _suru_ is even more irregular than what is taught in the first month of Japanese lessons. Here is a link.


 
Thanks for the link!
It is very informative.



Aoyama said:


> 応答せよ (or the ending せよ with other verbs) is also used (if I am not mistaking) in examinations when you are asked to answer a question, write an opinion etc. It is a kind of "official (or bureaucratic) imperative".


 
Perhaps the exam paper was too difficult that the examinees passed out.
The examiner had to check that if the examinees were still alive.


----------

