Korean applied linguistics for literature, translation, and beyond
Video Arts & Humanities 2025 Graduate ExhibitionPresentation by Grace Kim
Exhibition Number 514
Abstract
Korean morphosyntax richly encodes nuance of social relationships, inclusion/exclusion, stance, evidentiality, color, sensory perception, movement, and much more. These features are abundant across genres and registers, but their significance is uniquely showcased within works of Korean literature. Micro-level linguistic elements of a narrative play subtle yet essential roles in informing and constructing macro-level genre, themes, characterization, dialogues, and story lines. Despite this, intersections between the applied linguistics and literature fields seem to be rare. Linguists tend toward fine-grained analyses of form, structure, and grammar, while literature scholars’ work tends to focus on macro-scale aspects of the texts they study. The connection between these two approaches is particularly clear when a work of literature is translated. In this project, we consider the interaction of micro- and macro-level detail in the construction of a literary narrative. We give particular attention to the implications of what is “lost in translation” as a means of demonstrating the richness and significance of seemingly minute details of Korean discourse.
Importance
This project bridges the fields of Korean applied linguistics, literature, and translation. These disciplines, which do not typically interact or collaborate, each bring a valuable perspective to an examination of Korean literature as discourse. In particular, Korean applied linguistics attends to the fine-grained details of Korean grammar that shape meaning in both subtle and significant ways. These linguistic features often have implications for the plot, characterization, and reader experience of a story. By attending to these subtleties, we showcase the rich affordances of Korean grammar, highlight uniquely Korean nuances that are inevitably “lost in translation,” and demonstrate how discourse-based discussions of Korean texts in both scholarly and pedagogical contexts enrich our understanding and appreciation of Korean language.