If I were awarded a research grant, I would investigate "The Negotiation of Social Distance in Digital Korean." As a mid-level learner from a Chinese linguistic background, I am fascinated by how the rigid social hierarchies of the Korean language translate into the fast-paced, often "invisible" world of digital communication like KakaoTalk or community forums.
My investigation would start by collecting a corpus of text-based interactions between native speakers and learners. I want to explore "Honorific Dissonance"—the moments where a learner might use a formal verb ending but fail to use the correct honorific noun or particle. In a digital space, does this "vertical agreement" become more or less important? My research would examine whether the lack of face-to-face cues makes learners rely more heavily on the "structural shields" of formal grammar, or if the speed of typing encourages them to take risks with particle omission, a common trait in native casual writing.
In my work, the structural components we’ve studied in class would serve as my primary metrics. I would analyze how clausal embedding is used to "soften" requests or disagreements, turning a blunt statement into a complex sentence that preserves the "face" of the reader. Furthermore, I would investigate how my own background—specifically the shared 한자 Hanja vocabulary—affects word choice. I noticed something similar in Chinese students' english word choices too. I saw tiktok and posts on social media saying Chinese people sometimes intended to use more "scholarly" or "complex" word that English-speaking people do not usually use during their daily life. Do Chinese-speaking learners use more sophisticated Korean vocabulary to compensate for shaky grammatical "government," or does it lead to a style that sounds overly academic in a casual setting? Ultimately, this study would seek to define the "digital fluency" of a mid-level learner, moving beyond textbook accuracy toward true social resonance.
Replies