• Language and Information
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.53-75
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• 2014

This study discovers the dynamic nature of an interactional hierarchy as well as an institutional hierarchy in the use of Korean honorifics. Data was collected from the conversations of two Korean female interlocutors. The interlocutors met for the first time in the U.S. and often changed their use of honorifics. The paper examines the method in which the two interlocutors negotiate hierarchies during interaction and how the negotiation is reflected in their use of honorific shifts. The paper also investigates honorific shifts in terms of self-representation to suggest that there is another hierarchy at work other than the institutional hierarchy. An examination of the data shows that the shifts occurred not randomly but strategically. The findings suggest that 1) interlocutors may negotiate interactional hierarchy during their conversation, often in the same sentence, 2) interactional hierarchy often cross the boundary of the institutional hierarchy to obtain interactional goals, in this case, intimacy, and 3) the utterance contents may play a significant role in the interlocutors' honorific shifts.

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