What are Politeness Levels? | Korean FAQ

Summary

In this video, the speaker explores the complex world of Korean politeness levels, breaking down the different speech forms: formal, soft polite (yo form), casual, honorific, and humble speech. They explain how each form conveys varying degrees of respect, either towards the person you're speaking to or about, and how understanding these nuances can improve your Korean communication skills. The video also touches on the speaker's new series, 'Master Politeness Levels,' which offers a deep dive into Korean speech styles. Key takeaway: Knowing when and how to use these forms can make you sound more like a native speaker.

Takeaways

• 😀 Formal speech in Korean conveys a strong respectful feel and is commonly used in formal situations like meetings, announcements, or military settings.
• 😀 The ‘yo’ form is the most commonly used polite form, which sounds soft and polite, showing respect without being overly formal.
• 😀 Casual speech is used when speaking with friends or close individuals and doesn't convey extra respect toward the listener, but it’s not rude either.
• 😀 Understanding the politeness levels helps to feel how different speech forms interact with the listener’s perception of respect and formality.
• 😀 Honorific speech shows extra respect toward the person being talked about, elevating them and placing them on a pedestal in the conversation.
• 😀 Humble speech is used to show respect to someone by lowering oneself, signaling a sense of deference and humility when speaking about them.
• 😀 The use of casual, polite, and formal speech should align with the level of respect you want to convey toward the person you're speaking with.
• 😀 Politeness levels are not just about who you're speaking to, but also about who you're speaking about—whether that’s showing respect to the subject or object in a sentence.
• 😀 In casual speech, plain form sentences (ending in ‘ta’) are used when there's no specific audience, commonly seen in writing or casual announcements.
• 😀 If you were to speak to a criminal who's about to attack you, using a soft, polite tone (like the ‘yo’ form with honorifics) is ideal to avoid conflict and show some level of respect.

Q & A

What are the key politeness levels in Korean language?

The key politeness levels in Korean include formal speech, the 'yo' form (polite speech), casual speech, honorific speech, humble speech, and the plain form. Each level conveys different amounts of respect depending on the context and the people you're speaking to or about.

Why is understanding politeness levels crucial when learning Korean?

Understanding politeness levels is crucial because they directly affect how respectful or appropriate you sound in various social situations. Using the wrong level can come across as either too formal or too casual, which can make you sound impolite or disrespectful.

What is the difference between formal speech and the 'yo' form?

Formal speech has a strong, respectful feel and is used in very formal situations like meetings, announcements, or when speaking to superiors. The 'yo' form, on the other hand, is softer and polite, commonly used in everyday conversations to show general politeness without being overly formal.

When should you use formal speech in everyday conversations?

Formal speech should be used in situations that require high respect, such as when meeting someone for the first time, speaking to authority figures (like teachers, bosses, or parents-in-law), or in formal settings such as official speeches or military contexts.

Can casual speech ever be considered rude?

Casual speech itself is not inherently rude, but when used inappropriately—especially with people who deserve respect or in formal settings—it can come across as disrespectful because it lacks extra politeness or formality.

How does honorific speech differ from humble speech?

Honorific speech elevates the person you are talking about by showing respect toward them, often by using special verb endings or nouns. Humble speech, on the other hand, lowers the speaker to show respect toward someone else, often used when talking about actions directed at the object of the sentence, like giving or seeing.

What are some common examples of honorific speech?

Common examples of honorific speech include verb endings like 'haseyo' (instead of 'hada') or 'seyo' (instead of 'hae'), and the use of honorific nouns or particles. This speech shows extra respect towards the person being talked about.

In which situations would you use casual speech?

Casual speech is typically used with close friends, family members, or people of the same age or younger in informal settings. It conveys a friendly tone but lacks any extra respect toward the listener.

What is the plain form, and when is it used?

The plain form is used in writing or when speaking without directing your words at anyone in particular. It often ends in 'ta' and is used for things like journaling, making announcements, or quoting others. It's not intended for polite conversations and is typically neutral.

Why is it important to know the difference between speaking to someone and speaking about someone in Korean?

In Korean, the form of speech you use depends on whether you're speaking to someone (the listener) or about someone (the subject or object of your sentence). Honorific speech and humble speech are used when speaking about someone, not necessarily the person you're directly talking to.