Academic Writing Essay Form

Title: Formal Writing Name : Gabriela Fidelia Hasel

Week : 4

Date : 13-3-2019

A Comparison: Politeness in Java and Korea

Culture is a result in a form of human’s creative idea by successfully confronted and

adapted to the situations and challenges they faced through their daily’s activities. This result
of their creative idea is considered being the decent and wise, proper and appropriate ways to
be done. Indonesia has a culture called multiculturalism where in one nation can be found
various culture in each region. Therefore in Indonesia there is no culture that is more
important or more right than the other one. This diversity is being respected and preserved.
Korea has a culture opposite to Indonesia, that is monoculturalism. This kind of culture is
where in one nation there is only one culture that being followed and being honoured by
every corner of the nation. They are really proud and pleased about their own culture, they
believe that their customs and ethics are native product from their ancestor and it become
their nation’s characteristic that only they have. In this contrast cultures between the two
nations, politeness is a culture that both nations have as an Asian. Politeness is mannerism or
behaviour where people being modest and respectful especially toward people with high
standing such as: parents, elder, or superior.

In this comparison, this article will explain the similarities and differences between
Indonesia especially Central Java and Korea about their act manner toward the elder or
someone as seen as senior through politeness they use in speaking or act. Both Central Java
and Korea using politeness to show their respect toward someone their faced. To distinguish
their manner between polite and not is by using different style in their word. They use
honorific words to talk to their elder, senior, or someone that has higher standing.
Eventhough there will have the same meaning between regular word and honorific word,
they use the honorific one to show respect and mean to be humble in front of the person they
talk to.
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Example in both language: in Central Java, a word ‘sleep’ used in normal

conversation will be ‘turu’ but in honorific word become ‘sare’. In Korea a word ‘sleep’ use
in normal conversation will be ‘자다’ [jada] while in honorific word become ‘주무시다’
[jumusida]. Another example from both nations is using the word ‘read’. In Central Java the
normal word will be ‘moco’ while in honorific word will be ‘maos’. In Korea word ‘읽다’
[iktta] use in normal conversation while ‘읽으시다’ [ilgesida] is used in honorific talking.

They use politeness in their act too. They will show their formal act than become less
tense while interacting with someone they respected. In other manner to respect is in table
manner. Both Central Java and Korea have the similarity in their behaviour while they have a
meal with their senior. They will wait for the senior to eat first before they start eating. They
will not talk a lot and prefer silent when eating and if being spoken to they will speak with a
low voice. The younger one will wait until their elder finish their eating and not allowing
leaving the eating session before the elder dismissed them. In Korea, they use chopstick and
spoon to eat and it is not appropriated to lift their plate or bowl to eat. It should stay on the
desk. On the other hand, Central Java, is using either spoon, fork, or hand to eat with more
flexible place to eat like on the desk or by lifting the plate on their hand while eating.

In a matter of walking and passing by with someone either stranger or someone they
know in the two culture have a little bit different. In Central Java, they will bow a little or
smile to person they are passing by. While in Korea, they will bow and greet the people they
see as an elder or senior but when they passing by with stranger they will just walk without
interacting with them.

In both nations same situation according gender issues happened. They have the same
opinion about male above female eventough in both nations have been declared and
supported the emancipation of women. They have their clasification of some occupations like
driver is for men, make up and beauty is for women and so on. In other topic, men have more
degree than women. But again, with the politeness they apply in their daily life, this
classification will not be a problem. Because the person above them wether they are a woman
or man they still respect them with the politeness manner. For example if the manager of
some company is a woman, the people with lower position will treating her as their superior.
Academic Writing Essay Form

Another example, someone with younger age have worked in some work place early then
other their age because of their capability, the older one that just started working there will
respect them with the politeness manner as their elder.

In conclusion, this politeness from both nations have the similarity of using the
honorific ethics to respect and honour their elder as a thank for what their elder has done and

taught for the ancestry. Asian culture has this manner in same idea with their own way of
showing it. That is why the differences exist. They face their own challenges in their
geographic situations and historical story. It also because of the developing education and
ideology that every nations have so they see life in their own believe. Yet the differences not
make the good act any less good and less respected.