- Do some research about the culture of your target language and write about the 'linguistic aspects', e.g., body language, how people talk about time, etc.
In South Korea, the meetings and greetings is very distinct from American culture. While in America and most other western cultures it is sufficient to wave or simply give a nod while passing by, in South Korea the traditional greeting is to give a bow. A bow may signify both a greeting, or a signal or respect or gratitude towards elders. In a similar manner, it is normal for men to shake hands in South Korea, whereas Korean women will simply nod at each other. Korean women do not shake hands with western men, but some women do shake hands with a Korean man.
When addressing a Korean professional, it is important to use titles such as “teacher” or “doctor.” These terms can be seen as the equivalent to “Mr” “Mrs” or “Dr” here in the western world. In regards to eye contact, sometimes direct eye contact with a superior (someone older than you) can be viewed as disrespectful, almost as though you are challenging them.
Comments