한·중 불평 화행 비교 연구: 온라인 댓글에 나타난 전략 분석을 중심으로

Abstract

This study aims to compare the use of customer complaint speech act strategies by Korean and Chinese speakers, analyzing the differences in language use based on cultural backgrounds. To this end, 200 hotel-related comments were collected from the digital travel platform Agoda, and complaint sub-strategies were classified based on previous research. Expert evaluations and t-tests were conducted to examine the patterns of strategy usage. The analysis revealed that both groups employed direct and indirect complaint strategies; however, Korean speakers showed a higher frequency of indirect strategies and greater diversity in strategy use, while Chinese speakers demonstrated a clearer tendency toward direct strategies. Similarities and differences in linguistic expressions were observed, which can be attributed to each culture’s contextual norms, social purposes, and linguistic backgrounds. Although Korea and China both belong to high-context cultures, Koreans tend to place greater emphasis on face- saving and social harmony, resulting in more mitigated and indirect complaint expressions. In contrast, Chinese speakers, while also valuing relationships and face, tend to address complaints more directly, reflecting a cultural tendency to clearly articulate problems and seek prompt resolution rather than avoid conflict. This study carries academic significance in that it analyzes the actual usage patterns of complaint strategies in Korea and China based on authentic language data. It is expected to serve as a foundational resource for teaching speech acts and intercultural communication in Korean language education.