Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Korean Cultural Conceptualizations of Two Uncles: Ajeossi and Samchon Using a Usage-Based Approach

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Corpus Pragmatics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper investigates two Korean address terms, ajeossi and samchon, collectively translated to ‘uncle’ in English, from a Cultural Linguistics perspective by examining words typically collocated with them. The data was gathered from the Korean web 2018 (koTenTen18) as found in Sketch Engine. The findings show that (i) the term ajeossi mainly refers to a male adult who is not blood-related, while samchon generally refers to a family member. The term ajeossi also displays a stronger categorical conceptualization than samchon in terms of how an ajeossi should look and behave. An ajeossi is seen as a protector and older than samchon, while samchon is someone who needs protection. The conceptual categories that both terms belong to are those which refer to a male in a somewhat low-status profession, who is an approachable, everyday character, and who lives nearby. The present study shows that the collocated words reveal vivid instantiations of Korean cultural conceptualizations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. waen is a commonly used incorrect spelling of wen.

References

  • Ahn, H. (2017). Seoul uncle: Cultural conceptualisations behind the use of address terms in Korean. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), Advances in cultural linguistics (pp. 411–431). Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4056-6_19

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • An, K. N. (2007). 방언지도를 통해본 문경지역 친족호칭어의 분화 양상 Bangeonjidoleul tonghaebon mungyeongjiyeog chinjoghochingeoui bunhwa yangsang [Geographical differentiations aspect of kinship terms of address depend on atlas dialect of Mungyeong area]. 어문론총 Eo-Mun-Lon-Chong, 46, 29-71. https://doi.org/10.22784/eomun.2007..46.29

  • Brown, R. (1965). Social psychology. The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R., & Ford, M. (1961). Address in American English. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 62(2), 375–385. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0042862

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, R., & Gilman, A. (1960). The pronouns of power and solidarity. In T. A. Sebeok (Ed.), Style in language (pp. 253–276). MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cha, J. (2014). 대구 호적의 여성 지칭어 연구 - 서상면과 해북촌 기혼 여성 지칭어의 통시적 변화를 중심으로- Daegu hojeogui yeoseong jichingeo yeongu - seosangmyeongwa haebugchon gihon yeoseong jichingeoui tongsijeog byeonhwaleul jungsimeulo - [A study on the female terms of address: Examining the Daegu census register]. 한민족문화연구 Hanminjogmunhwayeongu [The Review of Korean Cultural Studies], 48(48), 239–271. https://doi.org/10.17329/kcbook.2014.48.48.008

  • Cho, N. (2009). 여성 호칭어 ‘아주머니’ 계열 어휘의의미 변화에 대한 연구 Yeoseong hochingeo ‘ajumeoni’ gyeyeoleohwiui uimi byeonhwae daehan yeongu [A research on the change of the meaning of female title ‘ajumeoni’]. 배달말 Baedalmal [Korean Language], 45, 497–533.

  • Cho, N. (2010). 여성어의 변화에 관한 연구 Yeoseongeoui byeonhwae gwanhan yeongu [A research on the linguistic change of female title]. 한민족문화연구 Hanminjogmunhwayeongu [The Review of Korean Cultural Studies], 33, 143–181. https://doi.org/10.17329/kcbook.2010..33.006

  • Clayman, S. E. (2012). Address terms in the organization of turns at talk: The case of pivotal turn extensions. Journal of Pragmatics, 44(13), 1853–1867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2012.08.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clayman, S. E. (2013). Agency in response: The role of prefatory address terms. Journal of Pragmatics, 57, 290–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2012.12.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dittrich, W. H., Johansen, T., & Kulinskaya, E. (2011). Norms and situational rules of address in English and Norwegian speakers. Journal of Pragmatics, 43(15), 3807–3821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2011.09.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaby, A. (2017). Kinship semantics: Culture in the lexicon. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), Advances in cultural linguistics (pp. 173–188). Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4056-6_9

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, S. J. J. (1991). Terms of address in Korean and American cultures. Intercultural Communication Studies, 1(2), 117–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ilie, C. (2010). Strategic uses of parliamentary forms of address: The case of the U.K. parliament and the Swedish riksdag. Journal of Pragmatics, 42(4), 885–911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2009.08.017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, H., Kim, H., Lee, J., & Kawano, Y. (2015). 사회언어학적 관점에서 본 친족 호칭어의 사용 양상 - 한국어 호칭어 교육 내용 구안을 위한 교육 자료 - Sahoeeoneohagjeog gwanjeomeseo bon chinjog hochingeoui sayong yangsang - hangugeo hochingeo gyoyug naeyong guaneul wihan gyoyug jalyo [The various usage of the terms of address on relatives in views of sociolinguistics]. 언어와 문화 Eoneowa munhwa [The Language and Culture], 11(3), 117–146.

  • Kim, K. (2015). 친족어의 호칭어로서 확장‧사용 양상 - {형}, {누나}, {오빠}, {언니}를 중심으로 - Chinjogeoui hochingeoloseo hwagjang·sayong yangsang: {hyeong}, {nuna}, {oppa}, {unni}leul jungsimeulo [The aspect of extension and use of kinship terms of address-in the center of {hyeong}, {nuna}, {oppa}, {unni}]. 한국어 의미학 Hangugeo Uimihag [Korean Semantics], 48, 175–201.

  • Kim, M. (2008). On the semantic derogation of terms for women in Korean, with parallel developments in Chinese and Japanese. Korean Studies, 32, 148–176. https://doi.org/10.1353/ks.0.0000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, M. (2015b). Women’s talk, mothers’ work: Korean mothers’ address terms, solidarity, and power. Discourse Studies, 17(5), 551–582. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445615590720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, R. (2006). Korean kinship terminology. In H. Sohn (Ed.), Korean language in culture and society (pp. 101–117). University of Hawai’i Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korean Text Corpora. (2019). Korean text corpora. Sketch Engine. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from https://www.sketchengine.eu/corpora-and-languages/korean-text-corpora/

  • koTenTen. (2018). koTenTen18: Corpus of the Korean Web. Sketch Engine. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from https://www.sketchengine.eu/kotenten-korean-corpus/

  • Kwon, J. (2009). 용구 삼촌 Yonggu samchon [Uncle Yonggu]. Seoul: 도사출판산하 Doseochulpansanha [Sanha Publishing].

  • Kwon, N., & Cha, J. (2013). 17-19세기 여성의 지칭어 변화 : 『단성호적대장』을 중심으로 17-19 segi yeoseongui jichingeo byeonhwa: Danseonghojeogdaejangeul jungsimeulo [Shifting female terms of address during 17th–19th century Joseon dynasty: Examining the Danseong census register]. 민족문화연구 Minjogmunhwayeongu [Korean Cultural Studies], 61, 343–370.

  • Lee, K., & Cho, Y. Y. (2013). Beyond ‘power and solidarity’: Indexing intimacy in Korean and Japanese terms of address. Korean Linguistics, 15(1), 73–100. https://doi.org/10.1075/kl.15.1.04lee

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, Y. (2006). 한국어 호칭어 교육 방안 연구 Hangugeo hochingeo gyoyug bangan yeongu [A study on teaching Korean terms of address as a second language]. 한국어교육 Hangugeogyoyug [Journal of Korean Language Education], 17(1), 287–306.

  • Liu, Y. (2009). Determinants of stall-holders’ address forms to customers in Beijing’s low-status clothing markets. Journal of Pragmatics, 41(3), 638–648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2008.07.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morand, D. A. (1996). What’s in a name? An exploration of the social dynamics of forms of address in organizations. Management Communication Quarterly, 9(4), 422–451. https://doi.org/10.1177/0893318996009004003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mühleisen, S. (2011). Forms of address and ambiguity in Caribbean English-lexicon creoles: Strategic interactions in a postcolonial language setting. Journal of Pragmatics, 43(6), 1460–1471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2010.10.017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murray, T. E. (2002). A new look at address in American English: The rules have changed. Names: A Journal of Onomastics, 50(1), 43–61. https://doi.org/10.1179/nam.2002.50.1.43

  • Park, E. H. (2010). 드라마에 나타난 호칭어 및 높임법 사용 양상 연구 Deulamae natanan hochingeo mich nopimbeob sayong yangsang yeongu [The study on terms of address and their honorific levels used in TV dramas]. 드라마 연구 Deulama yeongu [The Journal of Drama (DR)], 33, 151–182. https://doi.org/10.15716/dr.2010..33.151

  • Park, E. H. (2013). 호칭어 ‘선생님’에 대한 사회언어학적 연구 - 대학에서의 표준형과 변이형 사용을 중심으로 - Hochingeo ‘seonsaengnim’e daehan sahoeeoneohagjeog yeongu: Daehageseoui pyojunhyeonggwa byeonihyeong sayongeul jungsimeulo [A socio-linguistic study on the usage of ‘Seonsaengnim’ as a form of address in Korean]. 우리말글 Ulimalgeul [Urimalgeul: The Korean Language and Literature], 59, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.18628/urimal.59..201312.1

  • Rendle-Short, J. (2007). “Catherine, you’re wasting your time”: Address terms within the Australian political interview. Journal of Pragmatics, 39(9), 1503–1525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2007.02.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rendle-Short, J. (2010). ‘Mate’ as a term of address in ordinary interaction. Journal of Pragmatics, 42(5), 1201–1218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2009.09.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rychlý, P. (2008). A lexicographer-friendly association score. In P. Sojka & A. Horák (Eds.), Proceedings of Recent Advances in Slavonic Natural Language Processing, RASLAN 2008 (pp. 6–9). Brno: Masaryk University.

  • Seo, J. (2009). 학부 유학생의 호칭어 사용 연구: 언니, 누나, 오빠, 형, 선배를 중심으로 Hagbu yuhagsaengui hochingeo sayong yeongu: Eonni, nuna, oppa, hyeong, seonbaeleul jungsimeulo [A study on usage of terms of address of international students in the university: With a focus on ‘eonni’, ‘nuna’, ‘oppa’, ‘hyeong’ and ‘seonbae’]. 이중언어학 Ijungeoneohag [Bilingual Research], 40, 109–125. https://doi.org/10.17296/korbil.2009..40.109

  • Sharifian, F. (2011). Cultural conceptualisations and language: Theoretical framework and applications. John Benjamins Publishing Company.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sharifian, F. (2017). Advances in cultural linguistics. Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sketch Engine. (2019). Tools to work with Korean text corpora. Sketch Engine. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from https://www.sketchengine.eu/corpora-and-languages/korean-text-corpora/.

  • Son, C. (2010). 현대국어 호칭어의 유형과 특성에 대한 연구 Hyeondaegugeo hochingeoui yuhyeonggwa teugseonge daehan yeongu [A study of the types and characteristics on modern Korean terms of address]. 한국어 의미학 Hangugeo Uimihag [Korean Semantics], 33, 95–129.

  • National Institute of Korean Language. (2016a, October 3). 아저씨 Ajeossi. 우리말샘 Urimalsaem. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://opendict.korean.go.kr/dictionary/view?sense_no=369211.

  • National Institute of Korean Language. (2016b, October 3). 삼촌 Samchon. 우리말샘 Urimalsaem. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://opendict.korean.go.kr/dictionary/view?sense_no=335626&viewType=confirm.

  • Wang, H. (2000). The change of terms of address usage in a Korean village: From estate status terms to fictive kinship terms. 사회언어학 Sahoeeoneohag [The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea], 8(1), 59–86.

  • Webster, J. (1912). Daddy-long-legs. Grosset & Dunlap.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wierzbicka, A. (1997). Understanding cultures through their key words: English, Russian, Polish, German, and Japanese. Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yeon, S. (2016). A sociolinguistic analysis of Korean address term, ‘ajumma’. 언어과학 Eoneogwahag [Journal of Language Sciences], 23(2), 173–191.

  • Yu, N. (2017). LIFE AS OPERA: A cultural metaphor in Chinese. In F. Sharifian (Ed.), Advances in cultural Linguistics (pp. 65–87). Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Data sources

  • Bae, J. (2016, November 7). 영화 ‘잭 리처’로 8번째 내한한 톰 크루즈 “특별한 자기 관리? 힘들어도 관객이 보는 순간 상상하며 버틴다” Yeonghwa ‘jaeg licheo’lo 8beonjjae naehanhan tom keulujeu “teugbyeolhan jagi gwanli? Himdeuleodo gwangaegi boneun sungan sangsanghamyeo beotinda” [With ‘Jack Reacher’, Tom Cruise visits South Korea for the 8th time “Special self-management? Even if its tiring, I hold on and imagine the moment when audiences see the movie”]. 조선일보 Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved November 13, 2020, from https://www.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2016/11/07/2016110702015.html

  • Baek, J. (2020, September 30). “BTS 뷔-조인성=동네삼촌”… ‘라스’ 성동일, 아들 성준 비하인드 공개 “BTS bwi-joinseong=dongnesamchon”…“La-seu” seongdongil, adeul seongjun bihaindeu gonggae [“BTS V-Jo In-sung = Neighborhood uncles”… “Radio Star” Sung Dong-il reveals behind-the-scenes facts about his son, Sung-jun]. 조선일보 Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved November 13, 2020, from https://www.chosun.com/entertainments/entertain_photo/2020/09/30/ECLYXPPANEGQKCUXSFSVROLMCA/

  • Bluexmas. (2010, February 11). 배=죄 Bae=joe [Stomach=Crime]. The Note of Thirty Something. Retrieved November 23, 2020, from http://killjoys.egloos.com/4337072

  • Choi, J. (2014, August 2). [영화읽기] 메리 포핀스 (Yeonghwailggi) Meli popinseu [(Reading films) Mary Poppins]. 말꽃 짓는 책숲, 숲노래 Malkkoch jisneun chaegsup, supnolae [Forest songs, A book forest that builds literature]. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from https://blog.aladin.co.kr/hbooks/7094108

  • Department of Nuclear Medicine. (2017, April 17). 소매치기와 아버지 Somaechigiwa abeoji [The pickpocket and the father]. Seoul National University Hospital. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from http://nm.snu.ac.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=maronie&wr_id=29&sst=wr_hit&sod=desc&sop=and&page=1

  • Helpingmaen [helpingman]. (2014, December 29). 오빠와 아저씨를 구분하는 기준과 자가진단법! Oppawa ajeossileul gubunhaneun gijungwa jagajindanbeob!

  • [The criteria for distinguishing between oppa and ajeossi and some methods for self-diagnosis!]. 헬핑맨의 행복해지는 블로그 Helpingmaenui haengboghaejineun beullogeu [helpingman’s blog that makes you happy]. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=skrkxk858&logNo=220224163555&proxyReferer=undefined

  • Jung, S. (2009, September 23). 그녀 혹은 그가 연애를 하지 못하는 몇 가지 이유 Geunyeo hogeun geuga yeonaeleul haji moshaneun myeoch gaji iyu [A few reasons why he or she is unable to fall in love]. 북DB BugDB [BookDB]. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from http://news.bookdb.co.kr/bdb/Column.do?_method=ColumnDetail&sc.webzNo=3227

  • Jung, Y. (2020, October 11). [N초점]① 김상호, 옆집 아저씨의 비범함 (N chojeom)(1) Gimsangho, yeopjib ajeossiui bibeomham [(N Focus)(1) Kim Sang-ho, The extraordinariness of the ajeossi next door]. 머니투데이 Meonitudei [Money Today]. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2020101115308265415

  • Kim, M. (2014, December 19). 아기가 곁에 있어도 엄마는 외롭다 Agiga gyeote isseodo eommaneun oelobda [A mother is lonely even if her child is by her side]. 김명주의 하마 육아 Gimmyeongjuui hama yuga [Kim Myung-joo’s hippopotamus parenting]. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from http://plug.hani.co.kr/asaming/2049355

  • Kim, N. (2012, August 31). 절실하지 않던 꿈을 위한 최선 – 아직 최선을 다하지 않았을 뿐 [기획회의 326호] Jeolsilhaji anhdeon kkumeul wihan choeseon – ajig choeseoneul dahaji anhasseul ppun (Gihoeghoeui 326ho) [Striving for a desperate dream – It’s just that I still haven’t given it my all (Planning meeting no. 326)]. capcold님의 블로그님 capcoldnimui beullogeunim [capcold’s blog]. Retrieved November 12, 2020, from http://capcold.net/blog/8985

  • KSTAR News. (2017, October 25). [범죄도시] 500만 돌파... 윤계상, 악역 변신 어떻게 성공했나? (Beomjoedosi) 500man dolpa… Yungyesang, agyeog byeonsin eotteohge seonggonghaessna? [(The Outlaws) exceeds 5 million… how did Yoon Kye-sang succeed in his transformation into a villain?]. KSTAR News. Retrieved November 12, 2020, from http://www.starnewsk.com/starnews/news_view.php?article=00000000014416

  • lalawin. (2012, August 1). 지하철에서 여자의 피해의식이 큰 이유는? Jihacheoleseo yeojaui pihaeuisigi keun iyuneun? [Why do women have a strong sense of victim mentality when riding the subway?]. 서른 살의 철학자, 여자 Seoleun salui cheolhagja, yeoja [A thirty-year-old woman and philosopher]. Retrieved November 22, 2020, from https://lalawin.com/entry/psychologidal-damage

  • Myung, S. (2014, May 19). “임직원이 아침에 눈뜨자마자 출근이 기다려지는 회사를 만들고 싶습니다” “Imjigwoni achime nuntteujamaja chulgeuni gidalyeojineun hoesaleul mandeulgo sipseubnida” [“I want to create a company where employees look forward to work the moment they wake up in the morning”]. News H. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from http://www.newshyu.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=14270

  • Namuwiki. (2020, October 3). 나이 Nai [Age]. 나무위키 Namuwiki. Retrieved November 22, 2020, from https://namu.wiki/w/나이?from=연령

  • nanashisan@opun. (2017a, October 14). 【2ch 막장】반 아이들이 자주 이용하는 버스에 여학생들에게 추근거리는 이상한 아저씨가 있었다. 우리가 3학년 생이 되자, 반 아이들은 「여동생이 같은 학교에 입학한다」「같은 버스를 이용한다」고 위기감을 느껴서… (2ch Magjang) Ban aideuli jaju iyonghaneun beoseue yeohagsaengdeulege chugeungeolineun isanghan ajeossiga isseossda. Uliga 3 hagnyeon saengi doeja, ban aideuleun (yeodongsaengi gateun haggyoe ibhaghanda) (gateun beoseuleul iyonghanda)go wigigameul neukkyeoseo… [(2ch Absurd Stories) There was a strange ajeossi making advances at the female students in the bus that my classmates often rode on. When we became third graders, the others in my class felt a sense of danger at the thought that their (younger sister was going to be admitted into the same school) and that (they were going to take the same bus)]. 괴이공간 Goeigonggan [Mysterious Space]. Retrieved November 20, 2020, from http://storyis.blogspot.com/2017/10/2ch-3_14.html

  • nanashisan@opun. (2017b, September 2). 【2ch 막장】친구와 둘이서 낚시하고 있었는데 옆에 있던 아저씨가 바다에 빠졌다. 아이스박스를 던져주고 로프를 가져오려고 했는데, 잠깐 사이에 아저씨가 멀리 떠내려가 버렸다 (2ch Magjang) Chinguwa duliseo nakksihago isseossneunde yeope issdeon ajeossiga badae ppajyeossda. Aiseubagseuleul deonjyeojugo lopeuleul gajyeoolyeogo haessneunde, jamkkan saie ajeossiga meolli tteonaelyeoga beolyeossda [(2ch Absurd Stories) My friend and I were both fishing when an ajeossi beside us fell into the water. We threw him an icebox with the intention of drawing in the rope, but in a split second, the ajeossi had drifted far away]. 괴이공간 Goeigonggan [Mysterious Space]. Retrieved November 20, 2020, from http://storyis.blogspot.com/2017/09/2ch_10.html

  • Park, J. (2019, May 23). ‘옆집 아저씨, 동네 할아버지’ 노무현 ‘Yeopjib ajeossi, dongne halabeoji’ Nomuhyeon [‘The ajeossi next door, The neighborhood’s grandfather’ Roh Moo-hyun]. YTN. Retrieved November 15, 2020, from https://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0115_201905230728052293

  • Victor. (2002, October 14). 9일째 - LA (유니버셜 스튜디오, 한인타운) 9iljjae - LA (yunibeosyeol seutyudio, hanintaun) [9th Day – LA (Universal Studios, Koreatown)]. 미국자동차여행 Migugjadongchayeohaeng [Road trips in America]. Retrieved November 15, 2020, from http://usacartrip.com/xe/index.php?document_srl=24207&mid=usa_board&sort_index=regdate&order_type=asc

Download references

Funding

N/A

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Language and Communication Centre, School of Humanities, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 48 Nanyang Ave, Singapore, 639818, Singapore

    Hyejeong Ahn

  2. School of Liberal Arts Education, University of Seoul, Seoul, South Korea

    Chonhak Kim

Authors
  1. Hyejeong Ahn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chonhak Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

The first draft of the manuscript was written by [Hyejeong Ahn] and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hyejeong Ahn.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

N/A

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ahn, H., Kim, C. Korean Cultural Conceptualizations of Two Uncles: Ajeossi and Samchon Using a Usage-Based Approach. Corpus Pragmatics 5, 511–538 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41701-021-00110-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41701-021-00110-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation