Every dictionary I've found says that 連れていく{つれていく} should only be used to mean leading someone of a lower social status. While my research and experience has found this to be true in most cases, I've found a few sentences that seem to break this rule, particularly someone bringing their parents to either a vacation or the hospital. For example:
両親を旅行に連れていく
親を病院に連れていく
My theory is that it actually applies to anyone of a lower social status or anyone in your social circle- someone that you're familiar with. But I can't figure it out, because it's actually kind of hard to find any examples of bringing anyone of a higher social status, like your boss, somewhere.
Is it correct to say that this verb can only be used to bring those of a lower social status? If it is, why are the above examples correct?
Answer
As far as honorific speech is concerned, your own parents are not any higher than yourself in status. You treat them as your equals when speaking to a third party. If you have been taught otherwise somewhere, it is indeed unfortunate. That is why you must say 「[親]{おや}を～～に[連]{つ}れていく」, instead of saying it using a "better" verb that will be introduced below.
If, however, you are taking another person's parents (outside of your family), your teacher, your customer, etc. to a place, then you will use 「～～を～～にお連れする」. Using 「連れていく」 in these cases will make one a very poor keigo-user (and in the business world, you will be called out).
Point is it does not matter how much you personally respect and admire your parents. That is your business and it is cool. You just do not elevate them as objects of respect when speaking to a third party about them in keigo. This is extremely important and is surely a weak point for many Japanese-learners.
「[両親]{りょうしん}を[旅行]{りょこう}に連れていく」
「親を[病院]{びょういん}に連れていく」
Both phrases above are perfect (because the speakers are not elevating their parents in status).
Again, you should never, ever replace 「連れていく」 by 「お連れする」 in the phrases above. That would be "trying to" speak politely and failing miserably. "Comical" is how that would sound to native speakers.
「連れていく」 is for people lower or equal in status, not just lower as you stated. Your family members are your equals in the keigo world.
「お連れする」 is for people higher in status. In reality, however, the politer speakers use it even when talking about taking a stranger somewhere if the stranger is not way younger than themselves. But they sure will not use it for their parents or grand-parents because they know they should not.
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