This book offers an illuminating exploration into the complex world of political communication in South Korea from 2016 to 2021.
Through an in-depth analysis of 34 political conversations totalling over 275 hours, this book presents a groundbreaking interdisciplinary study combining quantitative and qualitative methods. It delves into the intricate design and strategic use of questions and answers in political dialogue, shedding light on the underlying rhetoric, strategy, and power dynamics. By examining the seismic shifts in South Korea's political landscape, including a major political scandal, the impeachment of President, North-South relations, and the COVID-19 pandemic, this work presents a unique perspective on how political conversations shape, and are shaped by, societal and global events. It is a vital contribution to the study of Korean linguistics, offering tools and frameworks for analyzing political dialogue in political setting.
An indispensable resource for scholars and students in the fields of linguistics, political science, communication studies, and Asian studies, as well as political enthusiasts and professionals engaged in diplomatic and governmental sectors. It offers readers insights into the nuanced strategies of political discourse, enhancing their understanding of how language shapes politics and vice versa.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1. Background
1. Historical Backdrop of Korean Politics and Political Talk
2. Theoretical Foundations
2.1 Interactional Linguistics and Conversation Analysis
2.2. Previous CA Research: Language Dynamics in Institutional Settings
2.3. Previous Research on Korean Political Talk
2.4 Interrogative Structures in Korean Language
Part 1. Setting the Stage
Chapter 2. The Power of Big Data Analytics: Collection, Understanding, and Analysis
1. The Benefits of Big Data Analytics
2. The Data
3. Counting Questions and Answers: Criteria and Analysis
4. A Hybrid Approach
5. Analytical Procedure
Chapter 3. Understanding Questions and Answers
1. Questions
1.1 Types of Questions and Their Social Actions
2. Answers
2.1 Response Design: Preferred and Dispreferred Responses
2.2 Repair
Part 2. Findings
Chapter 4. Revelations from Big Data Analytics: Decoding Patterns and Insights
1. Decoding Political Discourse: A Text Mining Approach
1.1 The significance of Parts of Speech (POS)
1.2 The Prevalence of Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives and Adverbs
2. Semantic Network Analysis
3. Sentiment Analysis
4. Exploring Questions: Grammatical Items for Forming Questions
4.1 Overt Interrogative Sentence Endings
4.2 Q-Words
4.3 Declarative Sentence Endings
5. Types of Questions and Their Frequency of Distribution
Chapter 5. Questions and Their Responses
1. Introduction
2. Major Questions and Their Answers
2.1 Type A: Positive Polar Questions
2.2 The Most Frequent Polar Questions -c(i)yo
2.3 Type B:Wh-Questions
2.4. Type C: Negative Questions
2.5 Conclusion
3. Minor Questions and Their Answers
3.1 Type D: Rhetorical Questions
3.2 Type E: Declarative Questions
3.3 Type F: Alternative Questions
3.4 Conclusion
Chapter 6. Conclusion
1. Findings
2. Limitations and Further Studies
Biography
Sujin Kang is an AI prompt engineer based in South Korea. She holds both a Ph.D. and MA. in Korean Linguistics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Specializing in Interactional linguistics and Conversation analysis, her expertise lies at the intersection of language and technology. Presently, her work involves engaging with Large Language Models to enhance and refine the dynamics of AI-to-human interaction.
"Embark on a captivating exploration of Korean political discourse in this book, uncovering questions and responses that reveal political strategies. Analyzing how question structure shapes social action, it offers great insights into the dynamics of institutional discourse."
Mary Shin Kim, Professor at University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii
"Decoding Korean Political Talk: From Data to Debate is a pioneering work offering invaluable insights into South Korea's political communication from 2016 to 2021. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods, it unravels the intricacies of political discourse, making it essential for scholars, students, and professionals in various fields."
Mee-jeong Park, Chair in East Asian Languages and Literatures at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii
