～うございます construction


I already know that it's hardly used anymore, but for sentences such as
嬉しゅうございます, is this humble? That is to say, is it inappropriate to use the form
for someone of higher social standing (provided they have told you)?

Also, would the past tense be 嬉しゅうございました?




This is called 「ウ[音便]{おんびん}」 and it is one type of the 「音便 (euphonic sound
changes)」 that took place around Heian period (794 - 1185).

「ウ音便」, in the simplest terms possible, is the dropping of the "k" consonant
from the [連用形]{れんようけい} (continuative form) of i-adjectives.

The 連用形 of 「うれし **い** 」 is 「うれし **く** 」.

Drop the "k" from 「うれし **く** 」 and you have 「うれし **う** 」.

To make 「うれしう」 even easier to say, you will have 「 **うれしゅう** 」.

「うれしゅうございます」 is a very polite form, and not a humble form per se as you
suspected. It can be used by anyone when they want to sound polite. The past
tense is just as you formed it.

Lastly, despite a popular belief among J-learners, this sentence pattern is
still **_heavily_** used in many parts of Western Japan. Even in Tokyo, the
older and more refined speakers still use 「～～しゅうございます」,「～～しゅう[存]{ぞん}じます」, etc.




This is called 「ウ[音便]{おんびん}」 and it is one type of the 「音便 (euphonic sound
changes)」 that took place around Heian period (794 - 1185).

「ウ音便」, in the simplest terms possible, is the dropping of the "k" consonant
from the [連用形]{れんようけい} (continuative form) of i-adjectives.

The 連用形 of 「うれし **い** 」 is 「うれし **く** 」.

Drop the "k" from 「うれし **く** 」 and you have 「うれし **う** 」.

To make 「うれしう」 even easier to say, you will have 「 **うれしゅう** 」.

「うれしゅうございます」 is a very polite form, and not a humble form per se as you
suspected. It can be used by anyone when they want to sound polite. The past
tense is just as you formed it.

Lastly, despite a popular belief among J-learners, this sentence pattern is
still **_heavily_** used in many parts of Western Japan. Even in Tokyo, the
older and more refined speakers still use 「～～しゅうございます」,「～～しゅう[存]{ぞん}じます」, etc.

