After having learned Korean this far, I have come to understand that the language is a reflection of the culture. Therefore, it is so important to study both. Even the history of the language is important to understand the language usage. When I learned about the era when China dominated Korea, It was easier to understand why the Korean language had two number systems and why the alphabet is written in symbols. Also, because of this knowledge, I understood why Korean words are written in blocks.
Learning about the formality and politeness of the language made me understand the hierarchy present in the culture. How one addresses a person is based on age and status. It helps categorize or identify people and inform the speaker how to behave towards the other person they are communicating with. The Korean language is a hierarchal language because it lets everyone who is listening know where they fall in terms of age and status. Respect is a huge part of Korean culture and the language reflects this. The language also reflects the mannerisms of a person, that is, if one does not use formalities then he/she is someone who is ill-mannered, which is a reflection of the individual’s culture. The method by which family members address one another is another reflection of culture. The fact that one’s uncle on the mother side or one’s aunt on the father’s side have their own specific name is a reflection of the emphasis of the family. It is a reminder of the collectivist nature of Korean culture.
I need to improve my levels of communication competence in all factors, that is. I have to improve my interpersonal communication and listening, my interpretive reading and listening, and finally my presentational speaking and writing. I can improve my interpersonal communication by working further with my friend who also studies the Korean language. I can improve my interpretive listening and reading by learning new vocabulary and using extensive resources to work on my listening skills. For my presentational speaking and writing, I can practice my writing by dictation or similar activities and take the time to speak with my friend.
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