A Study on Cognitive Differences Between Korean and English

Abstract

Cognitive linguistics is regarded as one of the best tools to approach the nature of language as a reflector of the human mind. This study, based on cognitive approaches, attempts to explore the English and Korean speakers' different ways of thinking reflected in utterances. The approach employed in this study is a cognitive one relying on cognitivism and experientialism. In this paper I introduce some cognitive differences between Korean and English by analyzing expressions denoting individuality and the causative agent. The cognitive differences investigated in this study are as follows: Firstly, the Korean language tends to be continuum oriented, while English is prone to individual orientation. Secondly, Korean tends to be oriented toward an event-oriented expression, whereas English is often oriented to a thing-oriented expression. The cognitive differences in expressions involving the causative agent are summarized as follows: Firstly, Korean shows a tendency to allow for autonomy of Patient, while English tends to allow Causer to have stronger governing power. Secondly, Korean tends to leave the feature of the causative agent obscure, while English tends to make it prominent.