Two figures showed in it; they bowed and murmured polite forms.

When French people first meet, they use the polite and somewhat distant form of address.

Because in their country it is considered not polite and very bad form to say no.

"What is the polite form of address for my lord?"

"If I may" was a polite form but the tone was an order.

Even the polite form of address in the second person has largely disappeared - at least on the street.

Women always used anata, the more polite form, when speaking to men.

If they were ever allowed to use the less polite form it was invariably the omae-san version.

He hesitated, trying to think of some polite form of address.

"Tomorrow remind me to deal with polite forms of conversation."