The YouTube channel Psik University’s content about the Busan dialect has been trending lately. Numerous shorts created by individuals, imitating this content, can be easily found on social media. Additionally, content centered around local dialects is readily available. They introduce everyday expressions in dialects and show how dialect speakers speak in specific situations. The unfamiliarity of the Korean language, along with its unique features, likely contributes to the widespread popularity of dialect content. Dialects are recognized as variants or offshoots of a systematic language. Within the cultural context, dialects play a role in both media representation and the organization of Korean society. The Dongguk Post aims to explore dialects, offering the readers an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the Korean language and culture.
Let us learn about Korean dialects
A dialect generally refers to a variant of a language. In Korean, it is also called saturi, and although there is a difference between dialect and “saturi” in academic terms, in everyday life, Koreans usually do not distinguish between them. Regional dialects of Korean can be divided into six main areas of dialect based on geographic location: Southeast, Northeast, Southwest, Northwest, Jeju, and Central. The Southeast dialect, spoken in the Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gangwon-do regions, is characterized by the intonation that distinguishes the meaning of words. It is also the dialect with the most pronunciation restrictions and is characterized by very different sentence endings from the standard language: where are you going?− eodi ga“ni” (standard) / eode ga“no” (dialect). The Northeast and Northwest Korean dialects are spoken in the regions of North Korea. The Southwest dialect, spoken in Jeolla-do, emphasizes the vowel length, and the typical speech ending “-ing” reflects the speaker’s affection for others. The Jeju dialect is spoken on Jeju Island and is characterized by its distinctive final endings. It also has many vocabularies that are not found in other dialects, making it particularly difficult for people from other regions to understand. The Central dialect is spoken in Chungcheong-do and Gangwon-do, including Gyeonggi-do. Although labeled as Central, Koreans distinguish the Chungcheong dialect from the standard language. Today’s dialects are more characterized by generational differences than regional differences.
How dialect is shown in the media
Dialects are used as a characteristic linguistic element in dramas, movies, and entertainment, providing characters with unique personalities. However, content creators are often conflicted about using dialects, due to potential conflicts with their use. On the one hand, dialects can convey communication between characters from specific regions, enhancing the setting’s realism and fulfilling the intended cultural context. On the other hand, excessive use of dialects can create challenges for audience comprehension. While some attempts are made to include dialect dialog or subtitle it, many content creators opt for a more simplified dialect. In the 2016 movie Canola, for instance, the protagonist speaks the Jeju dialect. Although subtitles could have been inserted to fully utilize the dialect, the director chose to use a simplified version of the dialect, prioritizing the audience’s ability to understand what is being said.
The relationship between media and dialects is profound, and it is important to think deeply about their influence. Historically, most gangsters in movies and TV shows were portrayed as dialect-speaking characters, and indeed, dialects are more often used by supporting characters than main characters. If the above examples are repeated, the perception of regional dialects as rough and peripheral rather than central may be reinforced. Given that the media plays a role not only in conveying facts, but also in transmitting culture, it is necessary to think deeply about the way dialects are portrayed in the media and express them correctly.
Effort to preserve dialects
Dialects are in danger of extinction due to population decline. As the population decreases, there are fewer actual speakers, and as more young people move to Seoul from the provinces, the use of regional dialects is decreasing. What efforts are being made to preserve the endangered dialects? The Dongguk Post gets an indirect glimpse of the efforts in a paper that surveyed the state of research on dialects. From 2000 to 2020, 1,300 journal articles and 340 books on Korean dialects were published. However, the overall number of articles was declining, and the number of master’s dissertations had dropped significantly, indicating a potential decrease in the involvement of young researchers in dialect studies. On the bright side, despite the decrease in the amount of dialect research, semantic and discourse studies of dialect oral utterances are expected to expand.
On the national level, the efforts of the National Institute of Korean Language are significant. The institute has announced plans to organize living linguistic and cultural materials in endangered areas by surveying the perceptions and attitudes toward regional dialect and their speakers, the environments in which they are spoken, and conservation activities. It plans to collect data such as language and culture audio, photos, and videos for each dialect area, and build them into a digital exhibition center. The program will start in Jeju in 2023 and expand to regions such as Jeolla and Gyeongsangbuk-do. Local governments are also making efforts to preserve regional dialects. Examples include the “Gangneung Dialect Contest” in Gangwon-do, the “Ordinance for the Conservation and Promotion of Jeju Language” enacted by Jeju-do. Preserving and displaying linguistic and cultural materials that contain local culture and identity can raise interest in the region, and utilizing them as cultural and industrial content will maintain linguistic and cultural diversity.
Dialects, being an integral part of the Korean language, hold a significant role in media representation and preservation efforts, and are closely tied to preserving the essence of Korean itself. Dialects are the linguistic expression of a region’s culture and act as vessels for the identity and culture of its people. Preserving dialects is a natural part of safeguarding a region’s diverse culture. The disappearance of dialects is the same as the disappearance of local cultural heritage, which means that the identity and culture of our country, formed by various local cultures, will also be at risk. We need to continue to listen to dialects with a lot of interest and care. For students seeking a deeper understanding of Korea and the Korean language, more awareness and appreciation of dialects are strongly encouraged.