E305/505 Korean Language and Culture

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Discussion questions on Sexism and language
  1. Some expressions get different interpretations depending on whether they apply to men and women. (Fromkin and Rodman 1988, Ch 7 [P106 .F75], 2003 [P107 .F76 2003])

    * Agressive business men vs. Pushy

    * Good on details vs. Picky

    * Follows through vs. Doesn’t know when to quit

    * Stands firm vs. Hard

    * Judgement vs. Predudice

    * Outspoken, articulate vs. Mouthy

    * Close-mouthed vs. Secretive

    * Exercises authority diligentely vs. She’s power mad


  2. Women are simply accompaniment: “pioneers and their wives”, “man and wife”

  3. Prejudice on profession: “My cousin is a professor.” “My cousin is a nurse.”

  4. Sexually oriented expressions: “My neighbor is a blond.”

  5. Being pretty applies only to woman. Cf. "good-looking"
       Cf. yeppu-ta vs. cal saengkyôss-ta

  6. Unmarked words are male-oriented:

  7. Mismatched words

  8. General terms are male oriented.

  9. Ordering of compound expression: male terms precede female terms:

    nam-nyô 'man-woman'
    nam-mae 'male-sister'
    o-nui 'brother-sister'
    hyônje-jamae 'brothers-sisters'
    sinsa-suknyô 'gentleman-lady'
    pu-mo 'father-mother'


  10. Some discriminatory codification for women:

    * Sam-jong-ji-do     삼종지도 (Three followings of women)

    * Chil-gôji-ak 칠거지악 (Seven causes for expulsion of Women)

    * Yôlnyô 열녀 (the "Virtuous" women)

    * Lessons for women's language in Naehoon 내훈 (Inner Lessons)

    *Nine years of silence: 벙어리 (mute) 3년, 귀머거리 (deaf) 3년, 장님 (blind) 3년

    * Naeoepôp 내외법     (內外法)(No contact law):
    nam-nyô-chil-se-pu-tongsôk 남녀칠세부동석 (男女七世不同席) 'No shared physical space between a boy and a girl of age 7 and beyond
    Yôca-ka ôti-l ssotanyô? 여자가 어딜 쏘다녀? Where do you a girl dare raoming around out there? cf. nae-oe-ha-ta     내외(內外)하다


  11. Oppressive language

    * Namphyôn 남편 vs. Yôphyôn-ne 여편네

    *sijip 시집 (in-law's place), sijip-ka-ta 시집가다 (go to the in-law's place), sijipsari 시집살이 (the life in the in-law's house)

    *chul-ga-oe-in 출가외인 'once married, no longer part of the family'

    * anae 아내 , an-saram 안사람 'the inside person'
    cf. pakath-yangban 바깥양반 'the outside noble'

    * cip-salram 집사람 'house person

    * manura 마누라 > manul(-nim) 마눌(-님)

    * kyecip-ae 계짐애/kicip-ae 기집애 'girl' cf. sanai 사나이/sanae 사내 'man'

    * "yôca-ka ôti-l 여자가 어딜 'How dare a woman ...?'"


  12. Consider the following proverbs and think about the cultural model implied in them (M-J. Kim 1995).

    1) 여자 셋이 모이면 접시가 깨진다. When three women get together, dishes would shatter

    2) 여자는 혀가 길고 남자는 손이 길다. A woman has a long tongue and a man has a long hand

    3) 여우는 꼬리가 길고 여자는 혀가 크다. A fox has a long tail and a woman has a big tongue.

    4) 암탉이 울면 집안이 망한다. When a hen cries, the family would come to ruin.

    5) 가제와 여자는 가는 방향을 모른다. The direction in which a crawfish and a woman go is unpredictable