Formality and Informality in Korean
In Korea, there is a distinct way of speaking to peers and speaking with elders/ other respected individuals. Body motions and specific actions are done so to convey respect to elders. For example, when meeting an elder, it is polite to bow and not make eye contact when speaking to him/her. Furthermore, the elder is treated with more respect that he/she is prioritized. In my personal experience, I remember not being allowed to eat food until my grandpa sat down and ate first. Essentially, nonverbal language conveys as much as verbal language in Korean.
Regarding verbal language, with peers, informal language (bahn-mal) is perfectly acceptable. However, with elders, one must use honorifics (johne-deht-mal). This usually means ending the sentence with “yo.” In addition, the word to describe oneself changes from “nah” to “juh.” There are also changes that must be made to the end of the sentence structure that vary depending on what is being said. Verbal and nonverbal language is something that one must be conscious of when studying Korean.
Comments