Talk:Maria-sama ga Miteru:Format
In the world of the Lillian Academy, Onee-sama has a specific usage.
Unlike normal schools, where you would refer to older girls you know as Onee-sama and use name-sama for closer acquaintances; within Lillian, the opposite is true.
For distant acquaintances, you use "name"-sama (or San as necessary)in normal use and "title"-sama when speaking to the Roses and their bouton. Only petite-soeur use Onee-sama (think of it as a title) and then only with their grand-soeur.
This is why Yumi always refers to Sachiko as Onee-sama, while everyone else in her year call her Sachiko-sama or Rosa-chinensis (en bouton). Early on in their soeur relationship, Yumi uses Sachiko-sama, and is told 'I won't respond if you don't call Me Onee-sama!'
Hope that clears up any misunderstanding.
JBV^_^