The Study of Code-mixing Between Korean and Foreign Languages in Advertising Language

Shin, Hyun Sook, Dept. of English Lang. & Lit. Graduate School Sookmyung Women's University

This research is given to analyze and describe the factors used in contemporary advertising language of Korea, which could be applied to the theory of code-choice and code-miring

Hereby, 1 specify three kinds of advertising language used in such as signs, clothes tags, cosmetics advertisement, and especially focused on all the aspects of mixning between Korean and foreign languages in advertising language and to the degree it is used in actual advertisement. I clarify three aspects of mixing in advertising language of between Korean and foreign languages.

Among the advertisements, especially language used in signs, clothes tags, cosmetics advertisement, they showed much higher rate of mixing with other foreign languages than other advertisement. Clothes tags, cosmetics advertisement are used the above the 95% in mixing with other foreign languages.

In the aspects of mixing with other foreign languages in signs show that it doesn't simply try to give enough message for effective advertisement and knowledge, but rather imply the function of language in the context of that society.

On the other hand, I found out that pure-Korean language is used 1% in mixing with other foreign languages of clothes tag, and languages used in clothes tags have a lot higher rate of mixing with other foreign languages than signs and cosmetics advertisement.

Cosmetics advertising language has higher rate of mixing with foreign languages and lower rate of using pure Korean. One of the cosmetics makers, J cosmetics showed that they only used foreign language in all advertising languages. As I get Into more specific and deeper research, 73% of all makes shows it has been using foreign languages mixed with more than four foreign languages. Using foreign-rooted brand name, contents, using instruction in foreign language, it tends to get an visual attention and intensify the degree of more usage of foreign language in advertisement.

I made some questions about how using other foreign languages mixed with pure Korean affects the shoppers impulsiveness for buying something. The more I discuss the problems and errors used in advertising language, the more the degree of mixing with other foreign languages and its misuse surface.

I tried to figure out how much degree. The higher rate of mixing with other foreign languages could be replaced with that of pure Korean language and found that most of the advertising languages are used for implying the meaningful code not just for communication leading to cause more use of foreign language for the entire advertising language.

For the other foreign languages used in advertising language, French and Italian language is considered to be widely used in cosmetics advertisement, this trends reflects a social and psychological preference to the upper class culture unfortunately, this higher rate of mixing with other foreign languages give way to an influx of more foreign goods to the domestic market.

Another research was given to study holts the phrases in advertising language are paraphrased and mixed in terms of each cultural background, ideas, and values.

Using a mixed language with other foreign languages in advertisement could cause an absurd combination with Korean language and downgrade the status of Korean language, its affecting the change of the spoken language.

For further study and reference I suggest the direction of this study analyzing the aspects of mixed language usage with other foreign languages in advertisement. First, choosing a right code based on mixed-usage with othter foreign languages must be spread to the other advertisement not only for signs, clothes tags, cosmetics advertisement.

Second, through this study, a careful attention should be paid to the right usage of written and spoken language above the whole change of language usage.

Consequently, contributing to the desirable attitude for the right usage of foreign language in a specific social-psychological meaning.