KJCKorea
Journal Central

This study investigates contact-induced grammatical change with specific emphasis on the prefinal imperfectives –ang and -ag in Swahili. Strategies for marking tense and aspect in Swahili and Bantu languages have been analyzed in a number of books, book chapters and articles. Despite the incontrovertible upsurge in the use of prefinal imperfectives, particularly in communicative interactions amongst the youth in urban settings, investigations into this phenomenon are scarce. Based on naturally occurring data obtained in Nairobi, Kenya and observations and interpretations, this study attempts to analyze the morphosyntactic and semantic features of prefinal imperfectives –ang and -ag in Swahili. First, background information conducive to understanding this grammatical change is provided. This includes the standardization of Swahili and its impact on present-day Swahili, strategies to mark tense and aspect in Swahili and other Bantu languages, semantic features of imperfectivity in Swahili, the prominent roles of mimesis in acquiring a second language in contact situations, the S-curve of language change and its applicability, and the disadvantages of prescriptive grammar rules. All these key concepts and topics are interrelated, and less researched topics must be included to systemically and clearly explain language change. Accordingly, this study is designed to enhance our understanding regarding one of the aspects of grammatical change from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives.

This study examines the signs of 83 Korean restaurants operating in Berlin as of January 2025 and discusses the following from the perspective of the language landscape: First, in which characters are these signs written? Second, in what language is the term "Korean restaurant" stated? Third, in which language is the store name written? Fourth, do other design considerations exists? The result shows that those who operate Korean restaurants in Berlin tend to display signs primarily in Roman letters instead of highlighting Hangul, which is still considered an unfamiliar character to Germans to avoid creating an overly heterogeneous language landscape. But the result of more comprehensive examination shows that the Korean restaurants in Berlin tend to display their identity and characteristics as Koreans. These research results can be used as reference material to gauge the lifestyle of Korean immigrants in the present Germany, beyond a simple discussion of the language landscape.

This study examines public perceptions and language ideologies regarding English use in Korea‘s linguistic landscape by analyzing 2,191 online news comments concerning the English-only menu controversy in 2023. The analysis reveals that negative comments (89%) significantly outnumbered accepting ones (11%). Critical responses view English use as displaying pretentiousness and cultural subservience while posing a threat to Korean linguistic and cultural identity. Critics raise concerns regarding language use, such as incorrect English usage, inconsistent bilingual practices, and discrepancies between displayed and actual proficiency. They also point to issues of information accessibility and the broader trend of excessive English use in Korean society. By contrast, accepting perspectives justify English menu use based on business owners’ autonomy, strategic marketing, the basic comprehensibility of the English used, and the naturalness of English use in the global era. The findings highlight that monolingualism prevails, with English perceived as distinctly “foreign,” while also revealing contradictions in public attitudes, including overreliance on foreign validation of Korean, conflicting views on linguistic hierarchy, and ambivalent attitudes toward English proficiency. This study contributes to a better understanding of public perceptions of English in Korea‘s linguistic landscape and the ideological dynamics underlying language choice in public spaces.