For meaning #2, you can use both お and ご depending on whether the origin of the word is Chinese or Japanese. For example, 電話 would be お電話 and not ご電話, whereas 連絡 would be ご連絡 and not お連絡.
Words of Chinese origin take ご and words of Japanese origin take お.
First of all, how do you tell whether a word has Chinese or Japanese origin? Secondly, both 電話 and 連絡 have Chinese origin. 電話 is dianhua in Chinese, and 連絡 is lianluo. Please clarify that.
I stated that 連絡 was of Chinese origin, hence why it is preceded by ご. And I'm aware that 電話 also exists in Chinese; however, in Japanese it's preceded by an お, which would lead me to believe it is of Japanese origin (i.e. first used in Japanese, then later adopted by the Chinese). Just because it's written in Chinese characters doesn't mean it's of Chinese origin.
The only way you'd be able to tell which words come from which language would be to look at a Japanese etymology dictionary, similar to the Oxford English Dictionary for English etymology. And, of course, you can tell from experience by listening to Japanese natives, watching Japanese TV or movies, etc.
Okay, thanks for the explanation. I'm aware that some Kanji were invented in Japan and didn't have Chinese origin, and I'm definitely not here to argue about words origins. But I just want to let you know that 電話 has Chinese origin and so are some others. They just happen to be the exceptions for the rule. I just thought that it would be nice if someone could put up the exception list.
From wiki:
"There are exceptions, however, such as the Sino-Japanese word for telephone (denwa), which takes the honorific prefix o-. "
It can be both - although I might not (hopefully someone else can comment) be the case depending on the usage. The form you gave it given at the top of the page - the second sections is merely the 'special case' verbs that don't follow the set pattern.
