Fun with synonyms - “flattery"


What are the differences in the following words meaning **flattery** / **to
flatter** :

  * お世{せ}辞{じ}  

  * 追{つい}従{しょう}  

  * おべっか  

  * 胡{ご}麻{ま}をする  

  * 阿{おもね}る  

  * 諂{へつら}う  

  * 煽{おだ}て（る）  

  * 美{び}辞{じ}麗{れい}句{く}  

Which ones are honest, sincere flattery??? Which ones mean to "butter someone
up" or "suck up" (to compliment them only so they'll do something for your
benefit)??? Do any of them convey both/additional meanings?

* * *

**EDIT** : Which one(s) are most commonly used in modern Japanese??? What are
the (in)formality levels of each??




Most of the listed words imply some insincerity, or at least mixed motives,
with the possible exception of 美辞麗句. Roughly, the nuances are as follows:

お世{せ}辞{じ}: Praising someone to make them feel better (despite their poor
showing)

> "Honey, that's a fantastic drawing, I don't care if it got a C-".

煽{おだ}て（る）: Praising someone to egg them on:

> You're doing a great job with the vaccuming; keep it up! (Just don't come
> into the kitchen to "help").

追{つい}従{しょう}: To follow someone around and be a yes-man. Phillip Seymour
Hoffman does a lot of this in The Big Lebowski.

美{び}辞{じ}麗{れい}句{く}: (lit. "beautiful elegant phrases"). Ornate, elaborate
praise designed for flattery. Could be sincere. Note that this is a noun, not
a verb.

The following are all similar, and mean to butter someone up:

  * おべっか
  * 胡{ご}麻{ま}をする
  * 阿{おもね}る
  * 諂{へつら}う




Most of the listed words imply some insincerity, or at least mixed motives,
with the possible exception of 美辞麗句. Roughly, the nuances are as follows:

お世{せ}辞{じ}: Praising someone to make them feel better (despite their poor
showing)

> "Honey, that's a fantastic drawing, I don't care if it got a C-".

煽{おだ}て（る）: Praising someone to egg them on:

> You're doing a great job with the vaccuming; keep it up! (Just don't come
> into the kitchen to "help").

追{つい}従{しょう}: To follow someone around and be a yes-man. Phillip Seymour
Hoffman does a lot of this in The Big Lebowski.

美{び}辞{じ}麗{れい}句{く}: (lit. "beautiful elegant phrases"). Ornate, elaborate
praise designed for flattery. Could be sincere. Note that this is a noun, not
a verb.

The following are all similar, and mean to butter someone up:

  * おべっか
  * 胡{ご}麻{ま}をする
  * 阿{おもね}る
  * 諂{へつら}う

