• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.635-644
• /
• 2020

This paper examines the types and functions of politeness in German communication and how politeness strategy can be realized. 'Politeness' is not a grammatical terminology in German, but it can be found in many places in grammar. The criteria for politeness are not only organized according to the rules of the language system, but the boundaries are ambiguous because non-language factors affect communication. Politeness is an important strategic element as well as social value. The polite expression first appears in the grammatical level of invariant with the form of address according to the familiarity between the conversational parties, verb modus, and modal particle. Modal particle with familiarity is considered to be a positive politeness strategy that limits the listener's speech by weakening or avoiding face threatening act. Modal verbs is classified as polite expressions that do not impose a psychological burden by not forcing the listener to make a direct request. The results of this study are therefore expected to suggest a rationale for empirical research on politeness in German communication.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.42
• /
• pp.261-283
• /
• 2016

The aim of this study is to consider the possibility of learning polite expressions of English using the mobile application Naver Band. To improve communicative competence, students need to develop sociolinguistic competence as well as grammatical and discourse competence. To be accordant to social context, the roles of the participants, and the purpose of the interaction, students have to make an appropriate utterance. When a hearer has a higher social status and is older than a speaker, or have low levels of familiarity, Korean native speaker tends to use polite expressions. Students need to learn polite expressions of English because English has a different honorific system from Korean. To realize the characteristics and function of polite language is one thing, but to learn it in a real classroom is another. This study attempts to apply the use of a mobile application, which is considered a user-friendly tool for students, into learning polite language using the UK historical drama, Downton Abbey. Two tests were administered to an experimental group that used the mobile application and a control group that used group work. The results of the two tests show that the use of the mobile application has a positive effect on learning polite expressions and is effective as an after-school activity. In an open-ended questionnaire, students tend to identify polite expressions as superior or high-level language forms and separate these forms from practical expressions. It should be noted as well that teachers need to consider instructing in modern English when using a historical drama in the teaching and learning of polite expressions.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.33
• /
• pp.331-358
• /
• 2013

This paper looks into several aspects of linguistic behaviors attested in Korean and American English corpora. A special attention is paid to the areas of politeness phenomena, terms of address, power and solidarity, practice of flattery, and closely-related non-linguistic behaviors such as tipping and gift-giving conventions. An analysis of the data reveals that Korean society remains very much superior-oriented, non-egalitarian, non-democratic despite the pride and sense of accomplishment among the populace that the nation has achieved a satisfactory level of democracy. In particular, the following facts in Korean and the Korean society are exposed by an examination of the data: ${\bullet}$ There is a notional gap of positive politeness ${\bullet}$ Superiors enjoy an unfair advantage in the power and solidarity system ${\bullet}$ The terms of address system is set up to make a clear distinction between levels and the terms of address, in turn, dictate norms of expected behavior ${\bullet}$ The notion and practice of flattery heavily favors superiors ${\bullet}$ Non-linguistic acts of gift-giving and tipping are consistent with the examined social interactions As a result, all the benefits, emotional as well as material, are garnered by superiors. These facts may reflect the real Korea that people are used to being comfortable with, a pre-modern, feudalistic society, something akin to its kin in the north. We may proclaim that we aspire to a more democratic society. However, it appears Koreans, deep inside, may have been seeking a powerful dictator all along. These findings help provide a partial but insightful clue to the political puzzle: why Koreans grew uncomfortable with an egalitarian and democratic president and could not save him, but instead replaced him with a succession of a corrupted businessman and the authoritarian daughter of a former dictator. The flight to democracy has stalled in midair, not quite making the grade yet. There is plenty of linguistic evidence in Korean.

• Journal of Korean language education
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.83-113
• /
• 2014

This study aims to examine the change of strategy use by analyzing the refusal sequence of beginner Japanese Korean learners by time difference of 10 weeks. The results of the study are as follows; First, in the solidarity system of politeness(power-, distance-), learners showed similar ability as native Koreans after 10 weeks. Second, in the deference system(power-, distance+), there was a difference according to the situational burden when using strategies. In the invitational setting, the learners sought justification for their refusal or tried to negotiate by explaining in detail as time passed. However, in the request setting, they showed no will to compromise by refusing directly and leading the listener to give up. Third, similar difference was found in the use of strategies depending on the situational burden in the hierarchical system(power+, distance+). While learners could present their justification for refusal by showing their interest in the invitation as time passed in the invitation setting, they expressed straight refusal and were not willing to negotiate in the request setting.