Introduction
There are many cultures and languages in the world, which can have similar words and their meanings or are radically different in all aspects. Scientists usually associate these similarities and differences with countries’ geographical locations and cultures and their historical development, uniting languages into families and groups. These features are easy to notice in some neighboring countries, for example, Norway and Sweden, Ukraine and Belarus, and the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where people communicating in different languages can understand each other without much difficulty. At the same time, the differences become even more noticeable in the language of migrants, who bring native linguistic patterns into their speech in a foreign language. This feature is evident because the differences are more noticeable in the contrast between two cultures and languages of different origins. For this reason, this paper will consider the peculiarities of the English language among Korean migrants to demonstrate the influence of national culture on the formation of the Korean language by using their contracts.
Relations Between Culture and Language
Multiple studies and routine observations show that language and culture or national identity are closely related. For the most part, culture is transmitted and formulated through language, and cultural patterns are displayed through linguistic means (Pourkalhor & Esfandiari, 2017). Thus, culture forms the language, and the language allows people to describe the culture. Lee notes, “Inherent social factors like power relations and cultural values play an important role in language use, both by shaping an individual’s sense of self relative to their society and directly influencing their linguistic choices in daily interactions” (2020, para.4). These features are less noticeable in today’s globalized world, where people constantly exchange information through various visual and other means. However, if one imagines himself as a resident of the Ancient or Medieval world, then he or she can understand how the isolation of the world influenced the formation of language, and language impacted the perception of culture. For example, the indigenous people of America had no idea about firearms; therefore, their consciousness did not perceive this concept, and the language did not have a corresponding word.
One can find similar examples in modern national languages all over the world. For example, Japanese has a special term “karoshi”, which means death due to overwork or suicide due to work stress” (Weller, 2017). Another example is the Chinese word “guanxi”, which means a strong personal relationship or inner feeling of commitment between two people (Wenderoth, 2018). In both cases, the terms express traditions inherent in certain cultures, so their exact equivalents are absent in other languages. In addition, the connection between culture and language one can see in the emergence of new terms and words due to the development of technology. For example, most people use the verb “to google”, talking about searching for information on the Internet, or “selfie”, to refer to a portrait photograph taken by a person. However, the most obvious influence of culture on the language is seen in grammatical structures and various language patterns because their formation requires years of social influence and communication traditions. These features are most vividly reflected in the Korean language and its patterns, which Korean migrants transfer to the English language.
Features of the Language Patterns of Korean Migrants in English
The Korean language has several characteristics that are especially prominent in first-generation migrants to the United States. These characteristics are noticeable because, despite the advanced knowledge of vocabulary and grammar of English, Korean migrants most often carry with them language patterns due to their cultural identity and upbringing. Such patterns can also be passed on to second-generation migrants if the culture of origin strongly influences them at home. However, most often, they are less evident, since children from birth perceive the culture and traditions of the American language environment.
The first feature is the use of qualifying statements or indirectness in speech and writing. This characteristic is manifested in phrases that soften the request and reduce the sense of order in the sentence. At the same time, this strategy is applied both for formal inquiries and for daily communication. For example, a request to open a window would sound like, “Would you mind if I ask you to open a window?” (Song, 2014, p. 64). Another example is the use of such requests in writing or correspondence. For instance, “If it does not bother you, could you please reply to this letter as soon as you read it”. Such patterns emphasize the courtesy of the person addressing and the respect for the person being addressed, which is a feature of the Korean mentality. This characteristic stands out especially in contrast to the American approach to communication since despite the politeness, the request will sound much more concise; for example, “Please respond as soon as possible.”
Another feature that is also used to emphasize politeness and respect is indirect speech or impersonal statements. This approach allows people to avoid direct confrontation with the addressee, expressing their respect and subordination (Lee, 2020). For example, “If the situation repeats itself, it might be better to take action and strengthen the store’s security.” In this way, the person seems to give recommendations but does not force the addressee to follow them immediately. While these queries are more commonly used in formal work communication, they can also be applied in spoken and informal speech. For example, “It might be better if you put on other jeans to match this outfit.” Thus, while the proposal bears criticism and recommendations for change, this structure is more polite, although less confident.
The third feature is the use of power verbs. These verbs are intended to emphasize a person’s authority or the authority of the addressee, increasing the sense of power. For example, the verb “let” or “allow” can be used to indicate a superior position in relation to an object to which an action is directed. Lee (2020) provides an example such as: “If you find anyone who is interested in this workshop, please let him or her contact Mrs. Jane Doe, president of the organization” (2020, para. 18). In this case, the word “let” indicates the inferiority of staff or students who wish to attend the workshop relative to the addressee in the hierarchy.
Relationship between Korean Culture and Language
Most of the Korean language’s peculiarities and linguistic patterns in English can be explained by the connection between culture and language. The culture of Korean society has shaped the way words or constructions are used. At the same time, these features and identities are reflected in the language patterns and structures of Korean in the English language.
Korean culture has a rigid hierarchy, which is reflected in various linguistic honorifics. In Korea, a person’s place in society depends on gender, age, social status, position in the work hierarchy, profession, and even a particular work or social situation. For example, in Korean, there are ten ways to address “you”, which depend on the status, relationships, and age of the people communicating (Talk To Me In Korean, 2019). Thus, a person can use “당신” (“dangsin”) only in a romantic sense, and “아저씨” (“ajeossi”) is intended for middle-aged men but can be rude for middle-aged women (Talk To Me In Korean, 2019). At the same time, in the English language, there is only one word “you”, which refers to all statuses, genders, and ages in the plural and singular forms.
This variety of words removes the indexicality present that is in the English language but simultaneously makes it difficult for speakers to use it. Moreover, this variability also creates indexicality of these words, since in one context, one of the variants of addressing a person is appropriate, and in the rest, it is not polite. Therefore, to convey the meaning and respect that Koreans place in the word “you”, they use the more complex linguistic constructs of the English language.
Another feature of honorifics is that they are expressed not only in titles and nouns. The Korean honorific system includes honorific nouns, verbs, and suffixes that must be used together to express respect (Song, 2014). In other words, in Korean, suffixes are often added to verbs and nouns, depending on the status and age of the person being addressed. If a sentence is missing one of the elements, it can take on a negative or disrespectful meaning and offend a person.
These features are reflected in the expressions of Korean immigrants speaking English. Since English has no equivalents to respectful forms of verbs and limited use of titles, Koreans utilize accessible phrases to convey their attitude towards the addressee. For example, indirectness and impersonal statements are most often used for people of higher or equal status or hierarchy. At the same time, power verbs are usually directed at people of lower status in the social hierarchy, for example, students in relation to a teacher or young people regarding elders. In this way, Koreans emphasize their place in society and celebrate their dignity.
Therefore, these features demonstrate that the cultural traditions of Korea based on politeness, humility, and respect for people, depending on their place in the social or work hierarchy, have formed the features of the language and its indexicality. At the same time, the lack of equivalents of such structures and expressions in the English language has led to the use of patterns of language expressing respect, which are rarely used by native speakers. Consequently, such features demonstrate the relationship between language and culture and their differences in manifestations depending on the national context.
Conclusion
Therefore, the contrast between the expressions used by native speakers and Korean immigrants in English allows one to see the connection between Korean culture and language. The historical system of rigid social hierarchy, as well as the traditions of respect and politeness that it has formed, have the most substantial influence on the Korean language. This characteristic is reflected in the variety of words and grammatical structures that are used in Korean to communicate with people of different ages, gender, and social status. However, since English does not have such equivalents, Korean speakers use more complex constructs such as impersonal expressions, qualifying statements, and power verbs. Thus, these features help to see the relationship and interconnection of the Korean language and culture.
References
Lee, H. (2020). Preserving cultural identity in English language use by Korean immigrants. Inquiries Journal, 12(10). Web.
Pourkalhor, O. & Esfandiari, N. (2017). Culture in language learning: Background, issues and implications. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies, 5(1), 23-32.
Song, S. (2014). Politeness in Korea and America: A comparative analysis of request strategy in English communication. Korea Journal, 54(1), 60–84. Web.
Talk To Me In Korean. (2019). 10 ways to say “you” in Korean [Video]. YouTube.
Weller, C. (2017). Japan is facing a ‘death by overwork’ problem — here’s what it’s all about. Insider. Web.
Wenderoth, M.C. (2018). How a better understanding of guanxi can improve your business In China. Forbes. Web.