Can the Korean language survive the invasion of English loanwords?

 

 

 

 

 

When a North Korean defector fled back to the North after jumping over the heavily fortified inter-Korean border fence in January, many headlines described the incident as a “jump defection.”

Though a similar incident has occurred in the past, the use of the term became widespread in the media only this month, according to Google Trends. “Gaslighting,” loosely defined as the act of making someone question their reality by manipulating facts, also skyrocketed in usage early last year, the Google website showed, as the phrase began to enjoy media exposure in Korea, in the context of dating in particular.

The English word “waiting” has been used in South Korea’s service sector for years, despite the existence of the Korean verb “gidarida” which means “to wait.” And in recent years, the use of “keeping” has been on the rise, referring to the act of shops holding an item for customers.

 

So why do Koreans love using foreign loanwords, especially English ones?

“Speakers can manipulate that, often even subconsciously, to make themselves sound smarter in one context, but perhaps more approachable or down-to-earth in another.”

In fitness, “cheating day” has caught on in recent years as personal trainers and fitness YouTubers embraced the term in reference to a day off from a strict diet or exercise regimen. 

“When we look at English loanwords in Korea, I think there are a couple of common motivations for adopting them sometimes it’s because they sound exotic or high class. In other cases, it could be because the English word allows the speaker to avoid some negative connotation or feeling carried by the equivalent Korean word or expression,” he added.

“In yet other cases, it could be because although an equivalent Korean word or expression could exist, the English word might just be shorter, and thus perceived as more convenient by some. It could also be a combination of these factors.”

There has been pushback against the widespread use of loanwords from linguistic puritans, however, including the National Institute of Korean Language. One of the institute’s main jobs is to encourage the use of Korean words over foreign loanwords.


“We are aware of the view that these loanwords are just a sign of times so instead of ‘purifying’ the language, we are more focusing on ensuring smooth communication.”

Park said foreign loanwords can create communication problems between generations and social groups.

“When jargon or loanwords are used in official settings or by the media, people who are unfamiliar with a particular field of work might not understand them.”

“When a new English loanword is adopted into Korean, the Korean speaker who adopted it had to get it from somewhere, which means they had to have consumed some media or had some contact with an English speaker. So you’re only going to get loanwords from a language when enough people are engaging with the language in some form.”

While some are concerned by the foreign loanwords that are flooding in, professor Holliday said they are not “replacing” the Korean words.

“’Waiting’ doesn‘t replace ‘gidarida’ in general but only in a restaurant or service context. Many people don’t view it that way, but they can also be viewed as enriching the language.”

By Yim Hyun-su (hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)

 

 

Words in This Story

invasion- n an act of invading especially : incursion of an army for conquest or plunder

skyrocketed -v esp amount;  to rise extremely quick

jargon- n  words and phrases used by particular group of people esp. in their work that are not generally understood

motivation- n willingness to do something, or something that causes such willingness

purifying- v  to make pure: such as

a: to clear from material defilement or imperfection

b: to free from guilt or moral or ceremonial blemish

c: to free from undesirable elements

 

Comprehension Quiz

What is the article mainly about?

When you look at English loan words in Korea, what is the common motivation for adopting them?

Can you give an example of common English loan words in Korea that you usually use?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220126000634&np=1&mp=1