2024, Vol.32, No.2

The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.57

pISSN : 1226-4822
https://journal.kci.go.kr/socioling

This study presents an overview of the generational language attitudes of 58 Korean Paraguayans living in Asunción, Paraguay. The survey and interview items were divided into Korean language usage, determinants of language choice, unconscious language attitudes, and impressions of language. The results show that the identity of Korean expatriates toward the identity of their country of residence has changed across the generations. However, compared to the language attitudes of Brazilian expatriates in Latin America, we found that Korean was well preserved and transmitted in the Paraguayan Korean community. We also found that, although the identity of expatriates changed to that of their country of residence in the second generation, more than 50% of expatriates had maintained a Korean identity.

Using a corpus of Chinese natural discourse, this study examined the occurrence of 'ma' questions and their responses from a quantitative perspective, as well as how 'ma' questions and their responses are expressed and coordinated with respect to the epistemic asymmetry between speakers. The analysis of the tendencies in the types of responses to 'ma' questions in real conversations by syntactic and semantic characteristics showed that 'ma' questions and their response types do not follow a grammatical pattern, but rather certain usage patterns in specific linguistic environments depending on the speaker's level of confidence in a particular piece of information, and in each context there are different types of interrogative sentences and sentence structures to choose from, and different acceptable responses. When the structure and form of the interrogative sentence indicate a strong positive or negative confidence in the speaker's propositional content, the rate of “type-conforming responses” is much higher than otherwise. This suggests that the different types of responses are not used in a grammatically determined pattern in conversation, but are selected from among the responses that the question constraints allow.

The concept of the linguistic landscape provides a framework for analyzing language use in public spaces, offering insights into the linguistic dynamics and identities of a region's inhabitants. This study examines the linguistic landscape of Incheon Chinatown to understand the complex identities of the longstanding overseas Chinese community in Korea. Initially, the study collected and analyzed linguistic data from Incheon Chinatown. It explored how regional names and language types contribute to identity understanding. The findings reveal that Korean, Chinese, and English are predominantly used, each serving different functions and symbolic meanings. Korean is mainly used for informational purposes, while Chinese represents cultural identity and connectivity. The research also investigates language use nuances, such as differences between simplified and traditional Chinese and local signage names. This analysis highlights the diversity and complexity of identities within Korea's old overseas Chinese community. The study is significant as it connects linguistic landscape and identity, contributing to broader discussions on identity in various linguistic environments. It also informs future language policy development, enhancing our understanding of multicultural interactions and identity formations.