a few words have an honorific 「お」or「ご」 as a necessary prefix, right?


I just came a across the word 「お巡りさん」。While 「お巡り」 is a word, 「巡り」 is not.
Likewise, 「ご飯」 is a word, but while 「飯」 _is_ a word, the reading changes to
the 訓読み (めし)。This means that the 「ご」in「ご飯」is not window-dressing 美化語.
The「ご」in「ご飯」is a necessary part of the word. In my opinion, 「お茶」 is in limbo.
I've never heard 「茶」 spoken without an honorific 「お」、but 「茶」alone is
officially in my dictionary。

Over time, 「お」or「ご」can become a necessary part of some words, right? Is this a
documented part of Japanese grammar? (reference links would be welcomed). What
are a few more words that have an honorific prefix, 「お」or「ご」, as a necessary
part?




In language, a process is said to be _productive_ if it can produce new words
(or phrases, etc.). For example, in English, you can add _un-_ to lots of
words, so we say that _un-_ affixation is a productive process. And in
Japanese, affixing _go-_ and _o-_ to words is relatively productive.

But when a word can no longer be formed via a productive process in the modern
language **with a predictable meaning** , we say that it's become
_lexicalized_. In other words, it's become a single word, and it needs its own
dictionary entry. You need a dictionary entry for _disgruntled_ because you
can't figure it out from _dis-_ and _gruntled_ in the modern language.
Likewise, you need a dictionary entry for おやすみ, ごはん, and おにぎり because they've
become single lexical words.

So yes, _o-_ and _go-_ can become a necessary part of a word, and the name for
this process is _lexicalization_.




In language, a process is said to be _productive_ if it can produce new words
(or phrases, etc.). For example, in English, you can add _un-_ to lots of
words, so we say that _un-_ affixation is a productive process. And in
Japanese, affixing _go-_ and _o-_ to words is relatively productive.

But when a word can no longer be formed via a productive process in the modern
language **with a predictable meaning** , we say that it's become
_lexicalized_. In other words, it's become a single word, and it needs its own
dictionary entry. You need a dictionary entry for _disgruntled_ because you
can't figure it out from _dis-_ and _gruntled_ in the modern language.
Likewise, you need a dictionary entry for おやすみ, ごはん, and おにぎり because they've
become single lexical words.

So yes, _o-_ and _go-_ can become a necessary part of a word, and the name for
this process is _lexicalization_.

