KJCKorea
Journal Central

This essay studies on hierarchical characteristics of Korean address terms and repression accompanying by their use in Korean society. The study is based on two essays by Korean philosophers: Shin, Jeong-Guen’s <The correlativity of naming and moral life>, and Kim Kwangsik’s <For the mutual use of half-talk form in Korean society: Half-talk form manifesto by a philosopher of cognitive-cultural philosophy>. These two essays argue for equal right of address terms use in Korean society. Korean address terms are tremendously complicated as being correlated with 6 speech-levels and honorific forms. To decide a proper term, distinctively the power element has the priority in association with age matter, occupying the quasi-hierarchy status in Korean culture. Concerning a hierarchical characteristic, even native speakers experience difficulties as complicated as classified into 14 grades once illustrated by the linguist, I.S. Lee. Regarding repression, we should consider two facets: conflict and struggle in daily lives frequently accompanied with injuries and violence, and repression embodied by Korean language itself. It is because the language has no options for address terms to be used in mutually equal way. It is suggested that theoretical and practical discussions is required to build a new language environment, which make us liberated in knowledge and practice under Korean language-culture circumstances. As for philosophical studies for existence, knowledge and value, methodologically combined with thoughts and approach of media ecology, it is recommendable to korean address terms must be dealt as a proper theme of Korean social philosophy as is the problems of political and social condition which conditions our life-world, mediated by Korean language.

Korean address terms, second person pronoun, hierarchy, repression, Korean social philosophy