Jeong, Ye-Eun, Kim, Seung-Rae, Choi, Min-Gyeong, Shin, Eun-Jee, Kim, Dong-Wan, & Cho, Tae-Rin. (2023). “Refining Social Strata Variables in Korean Sociolinguistic Variation Research”. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea, 31(4), 33-69. This paper critically assesses existing studies on Korean language variation by social strata, proposing alternative approaches to address issues related to these variables. Previous researches have involved papers hierarchically categorizing social strata variables based on common perceptions or assigning weights to them arbitrarily. However, the impact of social strata variables and their weights on language variation remains unknown without thorough data collection and statistical analysis. Consequently, we emphasize the need for a more comprehensive presentation of social strata variables through an interdisciplinary approach taking into account sociological, economic, and political foundations, and stress the necessity of statistical test, observing the influence of each variable on linguistic forms through regression models

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the usage of address terms for professors by undergraduate and graduate students by the sociolinguistic methodology. To this end, this paper applied an integrated approach that combines quantitative analysis based on the response results of multiple-choice questions in the survey and qualitative interpretation based on the response results of subjective questions in both the survey and the in-depth interview. First, through quantitative analysis of the variation in the use of address terms, it was confirmed that “professor” occupies an overwhelming proportion and that the academic field of the speaker is the most important factor. The higher the intimacy with professors, the more “teacher” was used. Next, through the qualitative interpretation of the reason and meaning of using their choice of address terms, the most basic and superficial reason was to follow the experiences and customs in the affiliated community. The use of “professor” had some reasons or meanings such as meeting courtesy and expectations, highlighting privileged status, and equal respect for all the faculty members, whereas “teacher” was used as an expression of intimacy.

The purpose of this paper is to summarize research trends and analyze major discussions of previous studies on language policy and planning from a research historical perspective. In order to accomplish this purpose, this paper firstly established a database of related research lists through a complete enumeration survey of research articles by Korean researchers published in Korean academic journals. Then, based on the database, this paper summarized research trends of preceding studies by fields (status, corpus, education, etc.), by topics (language rank/function, orthographic norm, national language education, etc.), by relevant countries/regions (Korea, Asia, Europe, etc.). Finally, dividing the preceding studies into those related to Korea and those related to foreign countries, this paper analyzed major discussions by fields and topics based on representative and recent preceding studies. 'Not only does the aforementioned summary and analysis have research historical significance for preceding studies on language policy and planning, but 'they can also contribute to exploring the tasks and directions of future research.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze systematically the issues and approaches of existing research on language and ideology. In order to accomplish this purpose, this paper first defines ideology as ‘the ideas, beliefs, and values and the material process of (re)producing them that contribute to promoting and legitimizing the sectoral interests of certain social group or power’, noting that such ideology causes social problems when it serves primarily the sectoral interests of a mainstream group or ruling power, often working in a false and deceptive form through distortion and dissimulation of objective reality. Then, this paper raises the necessity to divide the research into two types: the research on ideology ‘about’ language and the research on ideology ‘through’ language. Finally, based on the theoretical discussion above, this paper explores the sociolinguistic research tasks and prospects of research on language and ideology by analyzing the representative research cases and approaches related to Korean language and its usage. This paper particularly focuses on monolingualism and standard language ideology in the case and approach of the research on ideology ‘about’ language, and sexism and gender ideology in the case and approach of the research on ideology ‘through’ language.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the usage of address terms between professors in a Korean university upon the methodology of sociolinguistic variation studies. This study was conducted based on on-line questionnaire survey targeting 100 professors in an university situated in the metropolitan area. Address terms observed in this study are Gyosu(=professor)(+honorific ‘-nim), Seonsaeng(=teacher)(+’-nim’), Baksa(=doctor)(+‘-nim’), Saem/Ssaem(intimate abbreviation of Seonsaeng), etc. which are ordered by frequency. Factor groups considered in this study are addressor, addressee, and situation. The main results of this study are as in the following. (1) Addresser’s academic field, degree of intimacy relation with addressee, and addressee’s administrative position are main factors having influence on the usage of address terms between professors. (2) Addresser’s sex and age factors and addressee’s sex and academic field factors have little or no influence on the usage of address terms.

Cho, Tae-rin. 2017. “A Study on South Korean and North Korean Terminology Standardization Policy at the Time of Reunification”. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 25(3). 299~326. The Purpose of this paper is to draw a blueprint for the standardization policy of South Korean and North Korean terminology at the time of reunification of two Koreas. Firstly, this paper examines the necessity of South Korean and North Korean terminology standardization and seeks the future direction of standardization. Then, the objects, principles, system, and procedure of standardization enforcement are discussed, specifically focussing on the terms that are urgently standardized at the time of reunification, namely administrative terms(as public language and terminology) and educational terms(concluding vocabulary in subject and vocabulary of instruction). Finally, this paper concludes by proposing two supporting systems for the South Korean and North Korean terminology standardization. These two supporting systems, that is, the committee for terminology standardization and the on-line management system for terminology standardization, consider efficiency of policy and domain expertise.

Cho, Tae-Rin. 2015. “On the change of Korean dialect and dialect research: Beyond the boundary of regional dialect and social dialect”. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 23(1). 177~199. The purpose of this paper is to examine the changing shape of regional dialect and social dialect in Korea, finally in order to seek the possibility of change and development direction of the Korean dialect researches. Firstly, this paper reviews not only the conceptual difference between regional dialect and social dialect but also the changing shape of actual relation between regional dialect research and social dialect research in Korea. And then, signs of change in Korean dialect research are analyzed by looking at the current state and characteristics of Korean social dialect research. This analysis shows that the distinction between regional dialect research and social dialect research is no longer rigid, and that Korean dialect research needs a new approach and development direction in order to go beyond the earlier researches focused on regional dialect and level of phoneme, prosody, vocabulary, etc. Finally, this paper is concluded by proposing two development directions of Korean dialect research as follows. (1) Research on regional and social difference of Korean language on a level of discourse. (2) Research on aspect of contact among standard language and dialects in Korea.

Cho Tae-rin. 2012. Development of Capitalism and Change of Language Teaching Methods. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 20(2). pp. 447-464. The purpose of this paper is to examine the change of language teaching methods in the development process of capitalism. First of all, this paper starts with a brief review of the relation between development of capitalism and commodification of language. And then, the diachronic change of language teaching methods (Grammar-Translation method, Direct method, Audio-lingual method, etc.) is investigated with its political economic meanings. Thirdly, analysing the origin and the characteristic of the communicative language teaching method, this paper looks into the significance and the problem of this method which emerges recently in the development process of capitalism. Finally, examining the change of Korean language teaching methods in the development process of Korean capitalism, this paper probes specially the measures to overcome the limit of the communicative language teaching method in the Korean language education field.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the gender inequality of address terms and honorific usages in the conjugal relations and to evaluate the significance and the limits of some proposals on the improvement of related problems. First of all, this paper starts with a brief review of theoretical background such as linguistic approach, sociolinguistic approach, feministic approach, etc. Secondly, this paper makes an attempt at a comparative examination on five precedent researches and studies. And then, a survey of about 100 students of 3 university in Seoul was carried out for the purpose of comprehending their attitudes towards address terms and honorific usages in the conjugal relations. Finally, synthesizing and comparing the results of 5 precedent studies and our own survey, this paper analyzes the inequal side of address terms and honorific usages in the conjugal relations and looks at the symptom and possibility of change.

The purpose of this paper is to examine some issues concerning linguistic norms and language variations with special emphasis on the Standard of Korean Discourse(SKD). First of all, this paper starts with some theoretical and general considerations on linguistic norms and language variations, especially on their types, characteristics and correlation. Secondly, the establishing process, content and significance of the SKD as a linguistic norm are investigated. And then, some problems of language variation in the SKD are also examined through meticulous discussion about selection of linguistic variables, setting and subclassification of parameters, criteria for selection of normative form and so on. Finally, this paper presents a new possibility of the SKD as a rational and persuasive linguistic norm.

The purpose of this article is to examine the necessity and the possibility of sociolinguistic approach to minority in Korea. Firstly, this article defines the concept of ‘minority’ and looks around its socio-historical background and implication. And then, several types of minority can be divided on the basis of its formative period and birthplace. As the next step, two forms of sociolinguistic approach to minority, that is, ‘linguistic human right approach’ and ‘linguistic citizenship approach’ are presented. This article cannot provide a detailed analysis and an alternative, but affords an opportunity to point out the significance and the limit of these two approaches. Finally, this article is concluded by proposing the cultural restructurization of the diversity and the uniformity in Korean society which includes its minority, and by presenting some sociolinguistic tasks related to the abolition of discrimination against minority and guarantee of its linguistic right.

Cho, Tae-rin. 2006. Positions on the Status and the Signification of Sociolinguistics. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 14(1). The purpose of this article is to examine the status and the signification of sociolinguistics by providing a comparative analysis of the various positions on this issue. Numerous positions have been distinguished too simply by denominations such as ‘OO sociolinguistics’ but have to be classified by criteria which show their essential difference (i.e., sphere of the object of study, relation with neighboring fields, autonomy as a field of science, epistemological viewpoint, consideration for the language user, viewpoint of the society, relation with real problems, etc.). After a brief examination of the logic, persuasiveness and limits of each position, this article clarifies its own position by offering a conceptual definition of sociolinguistics as a ‘study of the dynamic interaction between language, language user and social structure from a trans-disciplinary, hermeneutic and participatory point of view’. This discussion will contribute to elucidating the nature and the actual reality of sociolinguistics and exploring ideal ways toward its future development.

Cho, Tae-rin. 2006. Positions on the Status and the Signification of Sociolinguistics. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 14(1). The purpose of this article is to examine the status and the signification of sociolinguistics by providing a comparative analysis of the various positions on this issue. Numerous positions have been distinguished too simply by denominations such as ‘OO sociolinguistics’ but have to be classified by criteria which show their essential difference (i.e., sphere of the object of study, relation with neighboring fields, autonomy as a field of science, epistemological viewpoint, consideration for the language user, viewpoint of the society, relation with real problems, etc.). After a brief examination of the logic, persuasiveness and limits of each position, this article clarifies its own position by offering a conceptual definition of sociolinguistics as a ‘study of the dynamic interaction between language, language user and social structure from a trans-disciplinary, hermeneutic and participatory point of view’. This discussion will contribute to elucidating the nature and the actual reality of sociolinguistics and exploring ideal ways toward its future development.