A Study of Patterns in the Translation of Speech Level and Speech Level Shift in Korean-Japanese Media

This study focuses on speech level shift, which refers to a phenomenon where a single speaker changes the initially established level of sentence-end form to another level during discourse, and translation shift, which indicates deviation from morphological / syntactic equivalence that occurs during the transition from source language into target language (Catford, 1965), in order to examine verbal behavior unique to Korean and Japanese. The present study analyzes nine Korean TV shows and films and their Japanese translations to compare distinctive features and differences of speech level shift in Korean and Japanese over the course of same discourses. For the purpose of detailed analysis, each sentence in a discourse was examined from five different angles: non-sentence-end form, sentence-end form, functional form, polite speech, and speech level shift. In addition, this study considers the cause, form and function of speech level shift occurring in Korean and Japanese.
This study suggests key issues regarding Korean-Japanese media translation based on the findings from the analysis of TV shows and films. The issues discovered are as follows:
First, the analysis results of basic speech level show Korean college students and workers on both sides of verbal interaction elect to use polite form for first encounters regardless of their age and that the speech level determined by the relationship and social hierarchy among speakers is maintained. Meanwhile, the dubbed Japanese versions show that the establishment of first-encounter speech level among workers is relatively liberal compared to the original Korean. In general, the use of polite form is less frequent and the basic speech level is lowered to non-polite. Moreover, speech level fluctuates depending on the degree of intimacy between speakers.
Second, in terms of non-sentence-end form, non-sentence-end form S (super-polite form) in Korean carefully adjusts the speech level of entire speech, which indicates a more frequent use of such form than Japanese. In addition, non-sentence-end form S appears to be in inverse proportion to social dynamics. In less familiar situations where psychological distance exists, non-sentence-end form S acts as an agent of socially perceived "unmarked politeness." In contrast, Japanese employs non-sentence-end form S more as a way of beautification. Its overall use is more limited than in Korean. Non-sentence-end form in both Korean and Japanese shows that the relationship between speakers is determined by second-person titles. In all the texts, there appears to be hardly any change in the use of second-person titles and change rarely goes beyond the sentence-end form indicative of speech level. These observations mean that second-person titles are the most decisive factor in the formation of relationship between speakers.
Third, in terms of sentence-end and functional form, Korean has a more finely divided system of speech levels for polite sentence ending than Japanese does. Korean speakers say more of "hapnita" in formal relationships and situations while they use "" more liberally during private conversations. Such usage pattern proves "hapnita" is more formal than "hayyo" and that the former''s speech level is higher than the latter. Compared to the formality of Korean, hierarchical relationships are avoided and psychological distance is narrowed in Japanese with the omission of predicate. In Japanese polite speech, functional form P (polite form) tends to be translated into sentence-end form Z, which means that Japanese utilizes sentence-end form Z more frequently and extensively than Korean does.
Fourth, Korean mostly relies on non-sentence-end form S and polite sentence endings like "hapnita" for polite speech, whereas Japanese tends to employ sentence-end form Z. In Korean films, college students and workers adopt a passive politeness strategy in first-time encounters and formal relationships by retaining a certain level of distance and politeness through the use of non-sentence-end form S and "hapnita." In polite Japanese conversations, however, non-sentence-end form S occurs less frequently than in Korean and is replaced with sentence-end form Z. All this points to differences in sentence structure between Korean and Japanese speech. In non-polite conversations, Japanese uses a passive politeness strategy through sentence-end form P and Z to display politeness. In contrast, since Korean has a rigid system of sentence-end form, politeness is conveyed by non-sentence-end form, hedging expressions and indirect speech like interrogative sentences.
Fifth, speech level shift in Korean and Japanese is more frequently observed in conversations where the basic speech level is polite than where non-polite. In most parts of Korean films where the basic speech level is polite, U shift (non-polite→polite) is 10% or lower. Especially, the frequency of speech level shift in Korean is lower than in Japanese. For instance, non-polite Korean conversations where the least difference exists in the relationship among characters show the lowest rate of speech level shift. In Japanese, speech level shift more freely occurs depending on the situation and speakers'' emotions rather than social relationship. Those with lower status in a relationship actively initiate D shift (polite→non-polite) and NN (non-polite no shift).
Sixth, the most frequently used function regarding speech level shift in both Korean and Japanese is "return to the basic speech level". Meanwhile, Japanese translations show a notably high rate of a specific type of speech level shift primarily used by female speakers. In Japanese conversation, female speakers repeatedly employ U shift (non-polite→polite) not observed in Korean conversation. This particular type of shift is used mostly by women regardless of counterparts'' gender, age and status, and the pattern of U shift usage varies from speaker to speaker. Which leads to the conclusion that in Japanese, "gender" and "individual language use" are the factors that greatly affect speech level shift.
Lastly, "polite→other" is the most frequently applied translation strategy except for the transition of basic speech level. While speech with interrogative sentences is repeatedly observed, "hasipsio" and "hapnita", non-sentence-end form S (super-polite form) and other very polite predicate sentences are translated into unfinished sentences. As for "non-polite→polite" translation strategy, the most frequent users are women and the form is limited. Moreover, "other→non-polite" is the most frequently adopted strategy in certain non-polite conversations.
Therefore, sentence-end form in both Korean and Japanese not just serves as an expression of speech level but fulfills unique functions. This study considers diverse situations, relationships and changes therein represented in TV shows and film scenarios to analyze features of the verbal behavior that closely resembles reality. Efforts are made to obtain detailed analysis results by elaborately classifying sentences. This study helps understand in which situation speech level shift is initiated intentionally in both Korean and Japanese, what functions such shifts perform, and which translation strategy is chosen. The analysis results are expected to facilitate more organic cross-speech expression of relationship changes and emotional conditions contained in original texts through the adoption of speech level shift, a feature of Japanese discourse, as a Korean-into-Japanese translation "tool."