Due by 5pm on Sunday, February 25: Discussion Post #5 on the Ning
Do some preliminary research on what interests you about the target culture and describe how this topic relates to language. Do you need any special vocabulary or linguistic knowledge to engage this topic? If so, have you included objectives in your learning plan to engage this topic?
**This journal post is intended to help you formulate foundational preparation (scaffolding) for your final presentation.**
Replies
As someone who loves using Korean skincare, I would like to explore why Skincare is such a prominent component of Koreans. in Korea compared to other countries. Korea is one of the countries with the highest beauty standards it has also managed to influence neighboring countries. Compared to other countries South Korea has strict beauty standards for South Korean men and women. Korea has become known for its extensive variety of Skincare and makeup brands. If you have ever watched Kdramas or Kvlogs you often see a lot of women and men performing extensive skincare routines. Something I am curious about is where these beauty standards originated from. And the effects it has on society. After doing some research I found that Korean beauty standards are linked to Confucian philosophy. It means that purity and beauty were connected. The beauty standards during the Joseon Dynasty were related to clear bright skin. Hence why Korean skincare often includes "brightening" and "whitening" products. Ancient Koreans believed that beauty was present not only inside but on the outside. Another important note to take is the Japanese colonization. During the Japanese colonization, this brought different products from Japan and Western countries which also affected the Korean beauty standards. In modern days Kpop idols and Kdramas have influenced Korean beauty standards.
However, newer generations are bringing inclusive beauty standards South Korea has invested in the innovations and development of the Korean beauty Industry. Because of its large investment, it has brought people worldwide to visit Korea and has increased tourism. The Korean skincare industry has brought. Overall Korean skincare industry plays a significant role in driving economic growth, promoting cultural exchange, and advancing technological innovation which are beneficial to the country.
One aspect of Korean culture that interests many is its rich history of traditional arts, such as calligraphy (서예 - seoye), pottery (도자기 - dojagi), and hanbok (한복 - traditional clothing). These elements are not only visually captivating but also deeply tied to the Korean language. For instance, calligraphy, which involves writing characters with a brush and ink, not only showcases the beauty of the Korean script (한글 - Hangeul) but also reflects the importance of elegance and precision in communication. Understanding calligraphy requires knowledge of specific vocabulary related to strokes, techniques, and artistic expression. Similarly, pottery and hanbok are imbued with cultural significance and historical context, requiring specialized terminology to fully appreciate their craftsmanship and cultural symbolism. To engage with this topic effectively, learners of Korean would benefit from acquiring vocabulary related to traditional arts, as well as cultural nuances surrounding them. Learning objectives could include studying terminology specific to each art form, exploring historical and cultural contexts, and perhaps even practicing related skills such as calligraphy or pottery-making. Integrating these objectives into a comprehensive learning plan can deepen one's understanding of Korean language and culture simultaneously.
One thing that particularly interests me about Brazilian culture is the intersection of race, identity, history and public policy in Brazil. I am a PPEL and Global Studies so naturally I am drawn towards some of the larger societal tensions in the country. During the Trans-Atlantic slave trade more enslaved people arrived in the Bahia and Rio de Janeiro than anywhere else in the New World and over centuries a large mestizo population grew. Later the country saw a lot of immigration from Southern Europe and Lebanon, among other countries. Like in the US, though to an even greater extent, inequality and societal injustice is heavily correlated with race-- dialogue about these issues is more mainstream than ever before in Brazil. I'm interested to learn more about these societal issues in my target language Portuguese, while considering the impact that the diverse nature of Brazil has had on the Brazilian dialect of Portuguese-- which is quite different than the European variety. There is also a lot of diversity within Brazilian Portuguese. Many parts of the country pronounce words differently and have more or less influence from native languages and Spanish, as well some words from West African languages. I will try to watch youtube videos from creators in different parts of Brazil to start to see more of this regional diversity as I continue my language journey.
In terms of my target language, Esports have been a massive motivator in wanting to learn about the Korean language and culture. The vocabulary for Esports commentary is relatively different than everyday conversation but also has a lot of overlap with common phrases. Another large interest is Korean fashion; while I am still learning the trends and pop culture, the vocabulary is slightly different with terms that we would call “slang” in English. In order to learn more about these terms, Isaac and I have been doing our own research, watching videos and picking up on new vocabulary used to describe items of clothing or accessories. These two areas of focus will expand my knowledge and vocabulary, and they are both areas that I enjoy and am excited to learn about, which will help in my retention of the Korean language. Overall, with the current learning plan I have made, adding these focus points will be a smooth transition when I become even more advanced with the language in the coming semesters.
Something that I found particularly interesting in Korean culture was the hierarchical systems that are ever so present in its society. Knowing someone's age is pivotal to determine what type of relationship (and therefore, language) one will have with that person. The level of formality determines the type of language ones uses, but not only when it comes to the spelling of words, but also the tone and rhythm. A lot of words in Korean that are used in formal situations end in "ㅂ니다," (eubnida) making it fairly straightforward to apply, once some nuances are understood. However, suffixes like the one mentioned before also common for many situations, often specific ones, like expressing doubt, reassuring something, or predicting something. In English, one would have to add words or phrases before a verb to express these feelings, but in Korean, only a suffix after the verb will suffice. I have contacted my good friend Jason about this, and I plan to include this aspect of Korean (understanding suffixes for verbs) into my learning plan.
The different types of Korean language was interested. Although it is a small country, there are six main dialects, which has totally differnt tone, words, and emphasis. For instance, there is a popular meme that Korean can deteremine where everyone's hometown is based on the way each of them say "blueberry smoothie." Depending on the area, there are different tones to say "blue berry smoothie." It was interesting how one word can sound differently and how there are special words in each city that none of the other cities are using. For example, garlic chives is known as as "buchu" in Seoul, while it is known as "jung-gu-ji" in Kyunssangdo. To learn more about this part of the culture, I am more than willing to watch more videos about different areas in Korea and learn the differences.