At  2:28 PM 95.10.2 -0400, Yung (William) Wong wrote:
>Yes, somehow, this will relate to both Ranma and Tenchi.
>
>I just got the third Tenchi manga tankoubon on Friday, and came across a 
>very "feel good" story arc.  I came across an honorific Wasyuu used, and 
>can't find in my dictionary (little cheapie thing).
>
>Wasyuu called the guest character, "Hiwa dono".  I've also heard Cologne 
>call Ranma, "muko dono".  Now, what is the meaning and in what situations 
>is this honorific used?
>
>Other than a general inking that it is to be used by elders, I've hit a 
>dead end.
>
>----------
>Yung "William, The Forgotten One, What's His Face, Who?" Wong
>(^_^)            -=-<ywong01@barney.poly.edu>-=-           (;_;)
>}-============================================================-{
>   "Whom are you?" said he, for he had been to night school.
>                                                 -- George Ade
>Gon%

In most simple using,
"-SAMA" is used toward the person who belong to upper rank than the speaker.
"-DONO" is used toward the person who belong to the same (or lower).

ex.       royal > citizen
           male > female
            old > young
    Wasyuu-chan ? Tenchi (^_^)

It's the matter of the speaker's thinking. (Sorry, I don't Know SAMURAI's 
formal rule.)

                                ** Akihiro MORIYAMA from Tokyo,JAPAN **