Cross Cultural Communication: Korean and American Culture in Comparisons

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By. Cindhi Cintokowati


My sensei gave us an article to be read at our dorm and asked us to write down our opinions. The article was about the way most Asian culture heavily emphasize on seniority (like senpai-kohai system in Japan). This hierarchy based on age somehow could be a burden for the younger.

Meanwhile in United States of America, everyone considered as equal. Therefore, they can freely express themselves like calling older people simply just by "YOU"


To Know You is to Love You Article
   Asian countries are famous for its “complicated” languages which emphasize honorific terms, especially to elder and someone with higher status. The language reflects its social condition where people are restricted to seniority and required to show an appropriate degree of politeness based on it. They always need to consider the hierarchy that naturally shaped by age, status, or degree of intimacy in deciding which languange form to use. It somehow creates inequality causing superior and inferior feeling. We cannot express ourselves freely.
I can completely understand why the Korean woman love to say “you”. “You” reflects equality. Age, status, or degree of intimacy is no longer matter. She can use it for everyone. Someone older, her boss, or even stranger. No need to think too much. In a way, it evaporates the burden of being inferior because you and me are equal.
I am personally, feel a bit strange to call, for example my teacher, using simply “you”. I prefer to use her or his title (Profesor, Sensei) rather than call “you”. I feel it is too direct, sounds rude though it is not.


JAPAN: Informality at work
Once again, this article shows that seniority plays an important role in Japanese society. It is somehow make someone who is in inferior status will be hard to let their senior know their true feeling or opinion. Being inferior somewhat like a burden that you have to take forever. It limits your move. You are restricted by the rule of “always being polite”.
What if you have different idea with your senior? How to say it without offend him or her?
It may become constraint for innovation. Perhaps, Japanese company tried to encourage the employees by cutting the burdens, cutting the title. By doing so, everyone will be more comfortable to interact each other. Feeling of equality emerged, so that generating ideas process will be easier.


References:
Kang, C.K. (2006). To know you is to love you. World Report.
Onishi, N. (2006). In Japanese workplaces, titles take a cut. World Report.

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