Learn Korean: Part 2 - Social Status in Culture
Part 1 of this series covered the language and language families in general for the Asian languages. Part 2 will cover the social conduct that is seen throughout Asian countries.
To begin, the social structure in Asia, and especially East Asian countries, stems from Taoism and Confucianism philosophies.
Confucianism
Confucianism has played a big role in setting the social structure in Asia and has more influence than any other belief or philosophy has. Now before I begin, keep in mind I am not saying all Asians follow the Confucian religion, but deep down in Asian culture there are Confucian beliefs. An Asian person may not even recognize what they do as Confucian beliefs, yet it still shapes their beliefs and morals.
One of the major structures in Asian culture influenced by Confucianism is the family structure. One of the Confucian beliefs is respect for parents. This explains why Asian children are almost always so respectful of their parents and do everything they are told. Kids will be kids, and disobedience always enters the picture. If you look at the larger picture however, you will find that Asian culture puts great respect on elders and people are trained that way from birth. Anyone older than you is going to be respected. This is so important in Asia that it is structured into the language itself. In Korea, there will be different endings for verbs, and sometimes different verbs altogether that need to be used depending on who you speak with. If you speak to someone older than you, you will need to use a polite and honorific style of speech. It differs from English in the fact that the actual language and words change. In English, it is simply acceptable to speak politely and add a sir on the end for example. The language doesn't change however. Both languages have their own ways to show respect. Korean just has it actually included in the words and basic structures of the language.
Some other Confucian beliefs that have structured Asian culture are humility, honesty and trustworthiness, and loyalty.
Taoism
While I mention beliefs, I feel I should introduce Taoism and how it has influenced Asian culture as well. To start off, what is Taoism? Basically, Taoism beliefs strongly link man to nature. Men will search and find harmony and peace, usually in nature. Taoism says everything is connected and their is energy that flows between everything. A common power runs through everything. Many Asians will follow some beliefs of Taoism. Once again, it may not be about the religion, but just the whole philosophy of it. Searching for peace and harmony can be a great thing for anybody to do. I believe everybody could use a little more peace and harmony in their lives. Nature really does have some power over people when it comes to peace. Try sitting in an open, beautiful field with a slow breeze. If it doesn't calm you down and relax you, then something is odd. Unfortunately it is hard for most people in the United States (or many other countries for that matter) to do this. Industrialization has taken over and lives are too busy. You can definitely try to make do with what you have though. Fortunately for Asia, there are still many beautiful landscapes virtually untouched by industrialization. Nature is everywhere in Asia. You will find some of the most beautiful palaces situated on lily ponds (such as Gyeongbokgung Palace in near Seoul).
Wherever it may be, everyone can find an escape in nature. Asians have realized this and have grown to love nature. They also have set up a social structure of great respect for others.
Part 3 will teach Korean and Asian culture through details on Korean schools and educational systems. Stay tuned and check back soon!
Learn Korean Language is a site based on teaching the Korean language. It also provides details on Korean culture, Korean foods, Korean recipes, Korean music, everything Korean!
MORE RESOURCES:
Padres breaking down language barrier MLB.com This is not an uncommon occurrence for Miley, who is in his fourth year of teaching the English language to the Padres' Latino players, an experience he ... |
 The Guardian (blog) | WORD OF MOUTH: Remaking foreign-language films in English Los Angeles Times Foreign-language films don't tend to do well at the US box office, but Hollywood is happy to remake them. 'THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO': Noomi Rapace ... The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 'Dragon Tattoo' Has Designs On US Audiences |
 9&10 News | Yemen-American imam calls for US Muslim revolt The Associated Press Parts of the English-language message were aired on CNN. Awlaki was known to be in touch with the American Muslim Army major accused of killing 13 people in ... Purported al-Awlaki message calls for jihad against US Anwar Al Awlaki's Latest Message of Hate |
 Washington Post | Health care vote may hinge on bill's language Lynchburg News and Advance Perriello still hadn't decided whether he would vote for the health care bill because its “reconciliation language” still was being written Wednesday, ... A plain language summary of the current health care reform bill UPDATED: Perriello okays Senate bill abortion language, still undecided on ... US Health Care Debate Begins After CBO Est, Final Language |
 New York Times (blog) | Head of Arabic-Language School Resigns New York Times The principal of the city's only Arabic-language public school stepped down abruptly on Tuesday, just days after a federal commission ... Judge: NYC Wronged Arabic-Language Principal Principal of Arabic Language School Departs Principal of Arabic-language school in NYC resigns |
 Reuters | Democrat Meek criticizes Obama administration's 'undiplomatic language' to Israel Palm Beach Post ... has turned into an unnecessary international dispute complicated by some undiplomatic language from US administration officials,” Meek said today. ... The US 'condemnation' of Israel: Facts and perspective needed Cannon condemns Israel's new settlement plan |
 Tampa Tribune | Hillsborough Commissioners approve ballot language for transit tax Creative Loafing Tampa (blog) By a 5-2 vote, Hillsborough County Commissioners have approved ballot language that will go before voters for a one-cent sales tax transit referendum in ... Commissioners OK transit tax ballot language After much debate, ballot wording for Hillsborough transit tax wins approval |
 New York Times | On Language With Ben Zimmer New York Times He founded our On Language column in February 1979 and proceeded to write tens of thousands of words about phrases (fashionable and not), usages (proper and ... |
 Los Angeles Times | Florida tax rebate plan could backfire Los Angeles Times (blog) “We believe the language that was first proposed raises some serious constitutional issues,” said Vans Stevenson, senior vice president of state government ... Representative defends discriminatory film bill |
 Globe and Mail | Policy statement's language likely to change in April, analysts say MarketWatch But the oft-repeated language of the policy statement -- closely followed in financial circles -- isn't necessarily expected to remain in place for much ... Outlook For US Economy Upgraded Fed Leaves in Extended Period Language, but Lots of Upgrades Fed Unconvinced Recovery Yet Warrants Higher Rates |
English Has Come A Long, Long Way...
I often wonder what would happen if Shakespeare were to be transported in a time machine to our world today. What would he think? How would he react?Yes, Willie would probably tell me "thou hast too much time on thy hands if thou spendeth it wondering about such flights of fancy.
How Ronzoni Italian Foods Helped My Dad Learn English
My dad likes to say, he was made in Italy, but born in Brooklyn New York. You see his parents left Palermo, Sicily in February 1955 and sailed by boat to America.
English Language Sputtering Online Like an Old Ford!
Sad, but true. Just about everywhere you look online, the English language is suffering a fate worse than death.
Bridging the Language Gap Using Bilingual Picture Books
There are more than 39 million Hispanics live in the United States making it the fifth largest Spanish-speaking nation in the world. It is estimated that within five years, only Mexico will have more Spanish-speakers than the U.
Learn Italian in Italy
You can combine your love of the Italian language with an unforgettable experience in the country where the language is spoken by studying Italian in Italy! Hands-down, the best way to learn a foreign language is to live, work, or study in a native speaking environment. Studying Italian in Italy is the best possible experience you can have to learn the language.
Learn Korean: Part 2 - Social Status in Culture
Part 1 of this series covered the language and language families in general for the Asian languages. Part 2 will cover the social conduct that is seen throughout Asian countries.
Learn to Speak Basic Chinese (Mandarin) Words and Phrases
The Chinese Language and dialectsEach province, each city and even each village speaks their own dialect. There are hundreds of Chinese dialects in China so much so that each dialect speaker is not likely to understand another dialect speaker from another village or city.
Learn Italian in Your Hometown
Are you interested in learning the Italian language right in your own hometown? There are several options that you can explore to find the Italian classes that are just perfect for you! First, you should consider whether you would you enjoy the interaction that takes place among students in group classes, or if you would prefer the one-on-one attention of a private instructor.1.
English Slang For Perplexed Tourists
I watched the British version of 'Big Brother' recently. That's the television show which is a human hamster cage.
What Does an Interpreter Do?
Many people get confused as to the difference between an interpreter and a translator. There is a common tendency to think translators interpreter, or that interpreters translate.
Second Language Competence Beneficial but often Misunderstood
Second language learning has associated with it many types of benefits. Among them include: social, economic, intellectual and linguistic.
Learning a Foreign Language: Why Should you Learn Words You Never Use in Your Mother Tongue?
Imagine a child sitting in front of a desk, his head in his hands, and mumbling various lists of words over and over. Does this child remind you of your own experience? If yes, I bet that "list of words" does not sound appealing to you.
Teaching English in Mexico: A Decent Living?
What's more disappointing than a person who makes a promise he can't keep? A person who makes a promise that is a lie. Many promises to make a "decent living" teaching English in Mexico are just that-a lie.
Learning a Foreign Language: the Psychological Factor
When it comes about learning a foreign language, many people wonder if they will be able to memorize enough vocabulary. But this question never occurs about their mother tongue.
Teaching English in Greece - What Do You Need to Know?
The employment situation can be quite uncertain for newcomers to Greece and therefore many people choose to try teaching English as a foreign language, on a full or part-time basis. It can bring in a good income whether it is your preferred career choice, or you wish to do it short-term until another career choice pans out.
Whats In A Word? More Than You Realize
What's in a word?Apparently more than we might want.For others, the ability to express yourself in the most meaningful way.
Online IELTS Preparation - Why Does It Make Sense?
Because IELTS is a difficult test. While most agree that IELTS is a reasonable test, it is generally regarded as one of the most challenging tests of its type.
Chinese Pinyin or Hanyu Pinyin Overview
Chinese Pinyin is the romanization of the Chinese "written sound". Romanization approximates Mandarin pronunciation with Western spellings and includes a tone mark to signify the pitch of a word.
Japanese Kanji Learning: Short-Cuts to Rapid Mastery (Part 1)
What? Kanji can be learned quickly? This seems an impossible dream to many students of Japanese who come from a non-kanji language culture. Even hiragana and katakana seem impossibly hard to the average beginner, so remembering kanji, with all their intricate strokes and multiple readings, can appear to be beyond the abilities of the human mind.
Learn Korean: Part 1 - Asian Languages and Language Families
So, you have always been fascinated by Asian culture have you? Maybe you are someone who loves the martial arts; kung fu, tae-kwon-do, or karate. Perhaps you are interested in the cool oriental stores and like to buy many things from them to decorate your house.
