Introduction
Differences between Korean and English are not only evident in their grammar and vocabulary but also deeply rooted in the cultural nuances that shape these languages. From the structure of sentences to the ways of expressing respect and hierarchy, Korean and English offer distinct perspectives on communication and social interaction.
By exploring these differences, we gain valuable insights into the diverse cultural landscapes that influence language use and shape the ways in which individuals perceive and interact with the world around them. In this exploration, we will delve into various aspects of Korean and English languages and cultures, shedding light on the dynamic relationship between language, culture, and society.
Differences between Korean and English
Every culture has its unique language and customs. Within each culture, people hold different values and prioritize certain aspects of life.
Beginning with American culture, the United States resembles a melting pot, boasting diverse ethnicities coexisting. Given the multitude of languages spoken, English serves as the lingua franca, requiring clarity, directness, and measurability to facilitate effective communication.
In contrast, Korean culture is profoundly entrenched in its historical heritage and traditional practices as a homogeneous ethnic community. Furthermore, influenced by Confucian principles, the reverence for elders holds significant importance. Age and social background carry weight. Consequently, the Korean language incorporates honorifics and employs expressions that vary according to age and gender.
Now, let’s explore how culture influences language, particularly in the differences between English and Korean.
1. The Role of Context In English and Korean
In anthropology, high-context and low-context cultures represent opposite ends of a scale that measures how clear messages are within a culture and how much importance is placed on context in communication. The role of context plays a significant role in highlighting the differences between English and Korean.
English is considered a low-context language. In such languages, understanding someone’s meaning typically relies on listening to their explicit words. English speakers often use direct language to convey their messages.
In contrast, Korean is a high-context language. In such languages, understanding depends on considering the overall atmosphere, situation, and even body language. This is why the subjects in Korean sentences, the subjects ‘I’ and ‘You’ are often left out because it’s possible to understand who is being talked about based on the context.
Additionally, in Korean, listeners respond based on what the speaker is asking. However, in English, responses like “Yes, I do” or “No, I don’t” are given even in response to negative questions.
Let’s break down the conversation to observe the differences between English and Korean:
English:
Q: Didn’t you do your homework yesterday?
A: No, I didn’t. I couldn’t do it because I was sick yesterday.
Korean:
Q: Didn’t you do your homework yesterday?
어제 숙제를 안 했어요?
A: Yes, I didn’t. I couldn’t do it because I was sick yesterday.
네, 안 했어요. 어제 아파서 못 했어요.
The question “Didn’t you do your homework yesterday?” is negative, implying that the speaker expects a response confirming the negative statement. However, the respondent answers “Yes, I didn’t,” which might seem contradictory at first glance. In English, this might seem confusing because the respondent appears to be affirming the negative statement, but in reality, they are confirming that they indeed did not do their homework.
Explanation:
In Korean culture, the response “네 (Yes)” in this context acknowledges the negative statement in the question, indicating agreement. So, when the respondent says “네, 안 했어요 (Yes, I didn’t),” they are affirming that they didn’t do their homework. This may seem counterintuitive in English-speaking cultures, but in Korean, it’s a common linguistic practice.
In conclusion, while English answers from the listener’s perspective, Korean responds in accordance with the question asked by the interlocutor.
2. Variations in Size Perception Between English and Korean
In Korean, unlike in English, lists typically start with the largest item and proceed to the smallest. When discussing time, Korean begins with the year, the largest unit, then progresses to mention the date and time. This phenomenon is evident when writing addresses, dates, and sentences, among other contexts. Even just by looking at the perception of size, one can easily discern the differences between English and Korean.
Here’s an example illustrated with the address of Seoul City Hall:
대한민국 서울특별시 중구 세종대로 110
110, Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
In Korea, the country name ‘Republic of Korea’ typically comes first in addresses, followed by city, district, and street name. Conversely, in English, the building number usually precedes other details.
Here’s another example contrasting English and Korean sentences:
English: I watched a movie with my friend at 9:00 P.M. on Sunday.
Korean: 나는 일요일 저녁 9시에 친구와 함께 영화를 봤어요.
In English, time precedes the date, indicating priority given to a more specific time. However, in Korean, the larger time frame is mentioned first.
This linguistic difference may have stemmed from Korea’s historical context. Following the Korean War, when Korea was one of the poorest nations globally, there was a strong emphasis on striving for excellence in various aspects such as wealth, academic achievement, education, and status.
This cultural value is reflected in the language, where the largest item is consistently listed first when enumerating items. It’s also noticeable in advertisements, where phrases like ‘the best’ or ‘the first’ were commonly used in slogans and copywriting, reflecting the cultural emphasis on superiority and achievement. Over time, this writing style has gradually faded away. Thus, a country’s history is highly reflected in its language. Naturally, due to different historical backgrounds, the differences between English and Korean are evident.
3. Diverse Expression of Colors in Korean Language
Another way to observe the distinctions between English and Korean is by examining the names and perceptions associated with colors. In English, there’s a specific color name for each precise shade, while Korean uses various adjectives to express different feelings for each color. For example, “빨간 (red),” “붉은 (crimson),” “벌건 (burgundy),” and so on. Korean expressions for colors can range from native Korean words, Sino-Korean words, to foreign loanwords, and can include nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.
Additionally, beyond simply representing colors, they can also form idiomatic meanings and present challenges from a morphological perspective, making it difficult to explain many examples through standard compound or derivative methods. Thus, Korean color expressions are broadly categorized into two types: ‘indicative color expressions’ for cases where specific colors, brightness, saturation, etc., can be physically determined, and ‘descriptive color expressions’ for cases involving feelings, evaluations, and idiomatic usage related to colors.
Here are some examples to illustrate the variety of Korean expressions for colors:
1. Native Korean Words:
– 파란색 (paran saek) – blue
– 노란색 (noran saek) – yellow
2. Sino-Korean Words:
– 분홍색 (bunhong saek) – pink (분홍 derives from the Chinese characters 粉紅)
– 황색 (hwang saek) – yellow (황 derives from the Chinese character 黃)
3. Foreign Loanwords:
– 핑크색 (pingkeu saek) – pink
– 그레이색 (geurei saek) – gray
4. Nouns:
– 빨강 (ppalgang) – red (noun form of the color)
– 초록 (chorok) – green
5. Adjectives:
– 붉은 (bugeun) – crimson
– 푸른 (pureun) – deep blue
6. Verbs:
– 녹다 (nokda) – to turn green
– 점점 연해지다 (jeomjeom yeonhaejida) – to gradually become lighter
7. Adverbs:
– 푸르게 (pureuge) translates to “blue” or “bluish.” It’s one of the many expressions Koreans use to describe different shades of blue, and it’s commonly used in various contexts, such as describing the color of the sky, water, or objects with a blue hue like the forest).
– 붉게 (bukge) describes the color “red” or “reddish” in English. It’s often used to depict various shades of red, from bright crimson to deep maroon. This term is commonly employed in describing objects, clothing, or natural phenomena with a red hue.
Of course, with the adoption of both Chinese characters, Hangul, and loanwords, vocabulary related to many colors has emerged. However, no one will know how so many words have come into being. It is speculated that the Korean people, over generations, have dyed fabrics using various plants found in nature, making them excellent in color, and as a nation that enjoys and appreciates beauty and expresses it, it is thought that so many words have been created. Whatever the reason, the diverse vocabulary and expressions related to colors that can be found in Korean are intriguing. Whatever the reason, the diverse vocabulary and expressions related to colors that can be found in Korean are intriguing.
4. Understanding Hierarchy and Respect in Korean Culture
In Korean culture, it’s uncommon to address someone directly using “you” unless you are close friends. Instead, individuals typically use honorific titles like 부장님 (manager), 선생님 (teacher), 언니 (older sister), or 오빠 (older brother) to show respect and maintain social hierarchy. Even among cousins, the term ‘cousin’ is seldom used; instead, terms like “brother” or “sister” are employed based on gender, age, and the relationship between the speaker and the person being addressed. There are specific terms for older brothers (형 or 오빠) and older sisters (언니 or 누나) depending on the speaker’s gender and age relative to the sibling.
Furthermore, it’s crucial to pay close attention to honorific verb conjugation when speaking to a superior or an elder. Various verb conjugations are employed depending on the age and relationship between the speaker and the individual being addressed.
For instance, when inquiring if someone has eaten:
Among friends, one might ask, “밥 먹었니?”
To an elder, one would inquire, “진지 드셨어요?”
Understanding the importance of age and hierarchy is crucial when learning Korean, as using language incorrectly in this regard can lead to misunderstandings. In Korean culture, older individuals are expected to take care of younger ones, such as paying the bills when dining together. Likewise, younger individuals are expected to show respect to their elders. This cultural emphasis on age is reflected in the language, with numerous words and terms designed to convey respect and hierarchy.
5. Understanding Verb Position in Korean and English
At the core of Lucien Tesniere’s Dependency Grammar, which stands in contrast to Noam Chomsky’s Constituent Grammar theory, is the idea that “the core of a sentence lies in its verb.” This means that the most crucial part of a sentence, containing the essential content, is the verb.
In Korean sentences, the verb, considered the most important word, appears at the very end. Hence the Korean saying that one must listen to the end. This structural interpretation is attributed to unique Korean cultural values of consideration, humility, and face-saving tendencies. It implies a cultural inclination to convey all relevant information to the interlocutor first and, only after doing so, to signal one’s decision, action, or opinion—the verb—at the end.
Conversely, English places the verb immediately after the subject, directly transmitting one’s thoughts and actions to the interlocutor. Additionally, the English language precisely reflects concepts of time, space, and numbers, unlike Korean, where these concepts are less distinct, and numerical expressions can be ambiguous. Consequently, Koreans find distinguishing between singular and plural nouns less intuitive.
This disparity might stem from the need in English-speaking societies to accurately track family sizes due to frequent migrations or to understand time precisely—a necessity that may not have been as critical in Korea’s agrarian society, where communal living and sharing meals minimized the importance of numerical precision. In conclusion, Korean can be seen as relational, whereas English can be viewed as scientific.
Conclusion
The differences between the Korean and English languages and cultures underscore the rich tapestry of human diversity and societal norms. By examining these disparities, we gain a deeper understanding of how language reflects and reinforces cultural values, influencing how individuals communicate and interact. From the role of context in communication to the nuances of expressing respect and hierarchy, Korean and English offer unique perspectives on navigating the complexities of human relationships. As we continue to explore these differences, we gain valuable insights into the intricate interplay between language, culture, and society, enriching our understanding of the world around us.
