If I received a research grant to conduct a linguistic study of Korea and Hangul I would not know what to do with it. But if I had to do this research I would most likely focus on how the culinary world and Korean language are intermingled and how the culture of Korea is defined by cuisine. This is actually a pretty common approach to culture; after all food is an accessible avenue to experiencing a culture. In order to tie this back to linguistic studies, I would have to see how language plays a role in food in Korea. There are many YouTube channels that have done this, such as Strictly Dumpling and Korean Englishman. These channels sometimes explore Korean cuisine from the perspective of a foreigner, which is where my perspective lies. By exploring Korean culture through food, I have learned how certain aspects of Korea come to light. Some examples of these are the need for pickling food and the focus on convenience.
Going back to the prompt, if I had a research grant, visiting South Korea would be a no-brainer. In order to really understand the culture and conduct a linguistic study, the researcher would have to be there in person. When it comes to implementing different structural components presented in class, I am not really sure how syntax and semantics will come into play. Perhaps there may be some underlying linguistic structures that are found in cuisine vocabulary, such as in French. I am not sure but if I had a research grant, this may be worth exploring.
Another part of Korean culture worth exploring is how it is affected by its neighbors, especially when it comes to cuisine. Since the main theme of this research seems to be tied to the next presentation, I am trying to connect these prompts as well as possible. Further research will reveal some important things to be learned from connecting Korean culture, linguistics and cuisine.
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