MLC 110 Culture Post #3 Formality and Informality

Korean is a language where formality and informality have a significant distinction. These very distinctions are evident in several places within the culture. For one, the Korean language itself has levels of formality. There's informal language that is used between friends and when talking to someone younger than you. There is a formal level that is used when speaking with elders and a super formal level as well. 

However, language isn't the only way Koreans express formality and informality. Gestures are extremely important. For example, it is extremely rude to hand something to an elder with one hand. The appropriate way to hand something over is by holding it with both hands or by supporting your right hand with your left. 

There's also other formal and informal distinctions present in dining etiquette. If you are drinking (I'm talking alcohol here) with someone who is older than you, you need to be the one to pour their drink for them. It's unacceptable for someone to pour their own drink. When clinking glasses before drinking the alcohol, it is important to remember that your glass should not be higher than the older person's glass when the glasses touch. Also, the younger person must turn away from the older person when they drink their alcohol.

As you can see, distinctions between formality and informality are in different aspects of Korean culture.

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