the respect shown by the humble suffix is the result of degradation of the speaker's status against the addressee(s), examples: 선생님이 오셔 [seongnimi osyeo] - The teacher is coming - context student taking to other student in casual informal style while giving respect to teacher by employing honorific affix 셔 [시 + 어] 아이가 가옵니다 [aiga gaomnida] - The child is going - context a servant speaking to master in formal polite style while humbling himself with affix -옵- [op] showing no deference to the subject [아이-child] 할머님이 오시옵니다 [halmeonimi osiomnida] - Grandmother/Old-Lady is coming - context a child speaking to an elder or someone in high authority in formal polite style while humbling himself with affix -옵- [op] while also showing deference to the subject [할머님-old lady] by employing the honorific affix -시- [si]. Use in modern speech The humble affix is still used at certain times for example in "but/even-though" statements as is -오나. For instance the President Yoon Suk-yeol in 2022 was asked a question: 정말 외람되오나 [jeongmal oeramdoeona] - It is very impudent of me but [can I ask you] See also Korean speech levels Other languages T–V distinction (politeness differences more generally) Chinese honorifics Chinese titles Japanese honorifics References Further reading Sohn, Ho-min (2006). Korean Language in Culture and Society. University of Hawai‘i Press: KLEAR Textbooks. Honorifics by country Honorifics Honorifics by language