On the usage of the prefixes お/ご in the plain form of female speech


I know that there are many differences between male and female speech, but my
question is about plain form. Women use prefixes _o-_ and _go-_ more often
than men. Is it true also in plain form?

For example, sometimes men say 肉 in colloquial speech, but can also women say
肉, or do they have to use お肉?




Whether to use お/ご, choosing between the plain/polite distinction (だ vs です),
and so-called male/female speech are three distinct concepts, while they are
loosely related. While it's true that those who tend to use feminine language
also often use お/ご, it is not a rule.

There is a considerable misunderstanding among learners, but the so-called
"women's language" or "men's language" in Japanese are just two of many role-
based language styles. Please remember that Japanese is a language where 5
different members of a family (at least in fiction) may have 5 different ways
of saying "I'm hungry". There is no rule that dictates "all women must speak
in this way". The choice between 肉 and お肉 is like the choice between _child_
and _kid_ in English; it has little to do with the speaker's gender. Rather,
it relates to how formal or friendly the speaker needs to be.

