Korean Job Discussion Forums

[leeroy12]

Just a thought,

A little while ago, on the main general discussion forum, I was ranting about my Asian students' relative inability to function socially in the class. A lot of replies and ideas were bounced around...

More than one person mentioned "teaching them how to have a conversation", apparently it was more than just language the students needed - it was basic social skills.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that Koreans have "social skills" - but I am alien to them - the exact inner workings of Korean conversation remain a mystery to me.

So, a question, to those more enlightened to Korean culture than I...

In what way does "communication" differ in style from us westerners? I had always assumed that conversational structure was pretty much the same universally - but perhaps not...

[Zyzyfer]

Oppa! Waegure?!?

[little mixed girl]

.....

[Zyzyfer]

[GRK]

The question you ask concerning conversation 'style' is adressed in many books relating to this subject, however in relation to Koreans and their conversation habits -I can give you these personal observations. As Korea is a collectivist culture the overall aim of the group and its members is to agree with each other, therefore it is not uncommon for a Korean person to outwardly agree even if they personally disagree. With much of their personal interaction taking place in this way, it could possibly be claimed that independent thought may not develop in the same manner as that of a western individual, creating what we may perceive as cognitive dissonance, or gaps in the sequencing and relay of information. It has been said (and I can't quote at the moment) that English is more linear and logical whereas Korean is a more emotive language. More fluent speakers than I may be able to comment on that. The manner in which information is given in Korean also differs in that only the verb of a sentence may be used to convey meaning, allowing the context of the utterance to convey a certain amount of meaning - in other words a certain amount may be what we may term 'taken for granted' or 'guessed'. Often when asking a Korean what was intended by a certain utterance or when asking for specifics, that information is not forthcoming. These simple things can have considerable impact on conversation and the tranference of meaning within a cross-cultural situation. To ask a Korean for an opinion, is therefore, not a simple matter. They may have opinions on certain 'safe' subjects like movies and the weather or even on what we may consider controversial (eg Japan), but those opinions will more than likely be the same as those of the group. In dealing with people higher up the hierarchy Koreans do not often offer opinions, and with those lower they do not bother to exchange opinions - just give information, so their major conversation partners are those with whom they wish to agree. This can be very difficult for an English teacher as it pervades other areas of learning such as construction of an argument or analysis in writing, etc. When Koreans converse between themselves I think its safe to say they engage mostly in what a western person would term as 'chatting', rather than indepth conversation with differing points of view. These observations are not intended to be exhaustive and hopefully not too much of a generalization, just a simple overview relating to personal experience, others may have different opinions (hopefully!).

[On the other hand]

GRK raises some interesting points. In my conversational classes, point-counterpoint, no-holds-barred debates are a rare thing, even though we cover a lot of controversial topics. I've sometimes wondered if this doesn't have as much to do with the students being uncomfortable in English as it does with a culturally-based reluctance to voice opinions. In any event, I long ago stopped expecting my conversational classes to be free-wheeling debating clubs, and now devote my efforts almost exclusively to ensuring that the ideas are expressed in a clear and correct fashion.

[Morning Calm]

GRK

I was going to say something rude, but I actually went back and re-read your post and noticed that you did make a few good points despite the frequent ramble and disclaimers of protecting your opinion. I think it was something about westerns conversation is more rational where Koreans are more emotional that hit the G. I'll have to agree with this.

It seems that westerns are really caught up in themselves that they have to rationalize everything down to the freakin' penny where Koreans have emotionally release their feelings to be supported by the peers that happen to be sitting in the room, while they gossip about one another as soon as they leave the room

I'm done with saying anything more about this subject though. I know enough about both cultures to know not to say anything in fear that someone is going to take my words and twist them or perhaps make a generalization.

Unless you are Moggly from the Juggle Book, grew up with Apes, how can you really know what they are talking about and how they feel if you didn't grow up with them? Sure, you may have a PHD in Ape, living in the juggle with them for 8 years, but you'll never be an ape and you'll never know how good a banana tastes like after not eatting it for more than a week.

We can say the same thing about ourselves. We're fish in the bowl and our perspectives of ourselves is like describing to someone how bad your room smells in the morning from your own BO. You don't know because you've lived with it all your life and have no idea how rancid your *beep* actually smells.

I always laughed when I saw these Anthropologists on Discovery channel who do this documentary on these tribes in the Amazon. They have no clue what's going on and for them to try to describe how these people who have lived for hundreds of years think, feel, and love more than pisses me off.

And here in this very forum, unless you're from Europe, try to describe the Korean culture which is more than a 1000 years old when are our nations are less than 300.

I'm sorry, but this thread is dumb.

[GRK]

MC Thank you for the acknowledgement that I did manage to make a valid point or so. I would have to disagree that this issue (or is it just this thread) is dumb, as this subject is the focus of much research on cross-cultural communication. My apologies if the read was a bit of a ramble, but some posters are quick to take offense at over-generalizations, and other things.

[rapier]

Koreans communicate so indirectly, talking to one is usually an exercise in reading between the lines. They are good at small talk and flattery, and masters at all the transparent arts of manipulation.
Maybe this is why it takes so long to have a real, genuine friendship with some Koreans.

[Leslie Cheswyck]

Rapier,
You mean you don't become instant, automatic, best friends for life? You...bad man!