Quote:
Originally Posted by RickOShay
I was just saying they do not attach an お at the beginning of imperative phrases... have you ever heard of someone saying おたべなさい？ In the same way I do not think おやすみなさい is ever used to have an imperative meaning. It is just politely saying "good night".
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お待ちください...ever seen this phrase? Give a look at the different forms of 敬語 (けいご) and you will answer your question on your own.
There are ways to use "imperative" also when you have to be polite, they just have a different "color".
Now, some of those are used into regular talk (the way I see it) just like お休み(ください not there, but might as well be).
EDIT: Let me get better what I meant. Honorific and humble verbs are made adding the お to the pre ます form and なさる is the honorific form of the verb to do. Basically what you do (I hope I am not wrong) is transform the verb into a noun and then add the verb "to do". Not much different from those many verbs made of a Chinese origin kanji noun+する like 勉強する.
As per お食べください, the verb to eat in humble and honorific changes completely, that's why the example you made wouldn't work.
I hope I am not too far off
