As stated in the famous Soviet film, the East is a delicate matter. And if we talk about oriental languages, then many people think that there are so many difficulties that it’s impossible to learn a foreigner. At the same time, the fashion for Japan and Korea, which has engulfed our society in the last two decades, has given rise to interest in many cultural features of these countries. And culture, as you know, finds its best expression through language, and modern youth in our country are increasingly thinking about the correct, correct translation of those words that are found in Korean more often than others. And in the first place, of course, treatment. However, Korea is not only an “oppa gangnam style”, but a much more extensive cultural layer, interesting for the masses.
Korean language features
The first thing a newcomer who takes up Korean gets to know is the specifics of treatment adopted in this country, which is so close to us geographically, but so different from Russia. This phenomenon among modern youth has received the name "oppa style", because in Korea almost never use treatment by name and personal pronouns. How do people address each other there? It's simple: there are special words that can be most correctly translated into Russian as “brother”, “sister”. In particular, who is the oppa in Korea? This term is used to refer to a young man older than the girl speaking to him. The Russian word is usually translated as "older brother", but at the same time it is worth remembering that it does not oblige to have blood ties.
Is it difficult?
“Oppa” in Korean means brother, but at the same time a like-minded, senior. This is a polite, but also somewhat familiar appeal in some cases, so you should not use it haphazardly without familiarizing yourself with the features of the application context. It is worth remembering that the features of the relationship in Korean society are significantly different from those adopted in our area, which is why not every Russian is immediately clear what “oppa” means.
Let me turn!
The peculiarity of the Korean language is the optional presence of a subject in the sentence (which is completely atypical for Russian). This means that many Koreans do not indicate a face at all, and it is not expressed in the verb either. Understanding the text becomes possible only if there is an explanatory context.
Why, when asking for a phone number, “oppa” would be a more desirable appeal than directly using the name of the person the speaker is asking for information from? It so happened that in Korea, the use of names is an impolite form of interaction with people around. However, parents can call their child by name, and among close friends this is not uncommon. But everyone else, when interacting, communicating, uses various special words - a kind of “oppa style”, which has recently become widespread in our country, which is associated with fashion for Korea, Korean music, clothes, films and cosmetics.
Is it possible to make a mistake?
In general, a foreigner does not have to know who oppa is, and Koreans understand this and are aware of it. Once in Korea, a resident of another country can contact his interlocutor in a way that is convenient for him: using a pronoun or name, and this will not be considered impolite, attributing it to the lack of knowledge of the Korean language. And yet, a foreigner who wants to create the impression of a solid, trustworthy person should get acquainted with the basic rules of behavior in Asian society before communicating with Koreans. In particular, this also applies to communication, appeal to the interlocutor.
Polite and correct
A sociological linguistic error (such as the use of a name) is unlikely to cause disputes, on the other hand, it is highly likely that the interlocutor’s mood will be spoiled by such a rude attitude. This is especially important when organizing business negotiations: you need to know what is applicable, what is impossible in Korean. Oppa, for example, is one of those appeals that are undesirable even in the framework of business negotiations. But with a friendly girl and a guy older than the speaker, it will be the best option.
Who is Oppa?
This word is usually used in Korea by the fairer sex. If a girl needs to contact a friend or brother who is older than her in age, she uses the word "oppa". However, at present, the condition of age is no longer as important as in previous times: if a girl recognizes the interlocutor is older than her, higher in the social ladder or in success in some sphere, she can also use this term. “Oppa” in Korean is in a sense close to the Japanese term “aniki”.
Traditions and Modernity
Currently, the appeal “oppa” can be used when a girl is talking with a guy, a man older than herself (or presumably older). Previously, the term was more often used in close relationships with a person, but the modern fashion “oppa gangnam” allows the use of this word to any interlocutor with whom the speaker is at least familiar. It may even be a colleague with whom a relatively warm relationship has developed.
Translation difficulties
When dealing with what “oppa” means, it is necessary to pay attention to the following fact: this term is often translated into Russian as “brother”, at the same time, the analogy between these words is very arbitrary. Such a translation cannot be called either accurate or correct, since “oppa” is a much more capacious term that does not oblige interlocutors to have a blood connection.
How to understand what “oppa” is for a talking girl? If this word is used without any reservations, additions, additions, she probably means a relative or a person with whom she has a romantic relationship. But in other cases, this word is supplemented with a name so that there are no unnecessary questions about who the “oppa” is for the speaker. For example, “Ji Chin-oppa” means that the girl has a good, friendly relationship with some man named Ji Chin, but they do not meet and there is no blood connection between them. But how close their friendship is, it is impossible to conclude from only one appeal of “oppa”.
Features of use
If you pay attention to the modern lively Korean language (especially the dialect of South Korea), you will notice that more often the word "oppa" in combination with the name is used when talking with someone else about someone else. This addition is added to the name of this third one, showing respectful attitude to the subject of the conversation. But if a girl has established good relations with a person with whom there is no romance or family ties, you can use the word “oppa” in conversation without an addition in the form of the name of the interlocutor - this is quite appropriate, correct and polite.
As you can pay attention, once in Korea (or when watching Korean films), the Koreans themselves use this word very easily, naturally, freely. But for a Russian person, this term is rather difficult for perception, since in our language there is no similar designation. Therefore, the translation of a work originally written in Korean into Russian is a very, very difficult task. It is not always clear even to the translator himself how to correctly explain the connections between the characters without breaking the language logic used, which is characteristic of the author of the translated work.
The word as a mirror of culture
Like the Japanese term "aniki", "oppa" in a sense is a reflection of Korea’s very large cultural layer. This is the word that can be used to designate someone who is stronger, older, smarter and more successful. The term is used when describing a person to whom you can turn for help and practical advice, and he will not push away, but he will certainly make every effort to understand the situation and help the interlocutor.
At the same time, the girl will never turn to the young man “oppa” if the interlocutor is unpleasant to her and selects an alternative word. A more appropriate option is another specialized term, or even just a name, if politeness in the framework of the existing dialogue fades into the background. Oppa for a Korean girl is a person who brings her joy, lightness, makes life easier, explains the laws of how society is organized, the world around. The idea of such an appeal in many respects reflects the idea of Confucianism about the dominance of the elder, as this philosophy calls for respect for those who are older as wise by experience. A special attitude in Eastern society is required when communicating between a girl and a guy, and respect for his seniority must be shown specifically. For this, such a beautiful, bright, sonorous word “oppa” is used.
How else to apply?
If the word "oppa" in some dialogue seems inapplicable, and it is necessary to express respect for the interlocutor, the use of the "ssi" supplement will be a good option. This particle is added after the name of the interlocutor. The classic translation is “respectful treatment”, sometimes the English word “mister” is sometimes used as an analogue. At the same time, the nuances of this respectful particle compel one to pay attention to the difference between the semantic load and the simple “Mr.”. “Ssi” in a sense is a semi-respectful particle, since it is used to emphasize the officiality of communication and at the same time reflects that the interlocutors are unfamiliar.
"Ssi" is a good and correct way to maintain a distance with the interlocutor, but to behave politely and within the framework of society. But the use of such treatment in relation to a long-time acquaintance is already an application for a serious offense. The particle has nothing to do with either age, gender, or the social status of the people who are talking, while at the same time it is unacceptable to use someone who is taller than the interlocutor by any parameter (age or hierarchy, position). This treatment is polite, but neutral, applicable among peers.
Formally and with respect
Korean, unlike Russian, does not have a “you” appeal. There is a special word “tansin”, but it cannot be considered a complete analogue of the pronoun used in Russia. This word is often used in the family circle when spouses contact each other, although this option is not mandatory.
In practice, according to many Koreans, the treatment of "tansin" is rude, impolite, and even humiliating. They resort to him during an argument and quarrel, trying to cause irritation of the interlocutor. In principle, in the Russian language in this situation, you can also use the pronoun “You”, supplementing it with the corresponding intonation, therefore, the parallel between these words is somewhat true. Nevertheless, when trying to build a polite dialogue, it is better to avoid using this word. If you heard him from the interlocutor, you need to think: maybe a conflict begins, and you should be more careful and correct, polite to avoid it.
What if he / she?
In fact, in Korean there are pronouns that are used in relation to a third party. If the subject of the conversation is male, you can say “ky” about it, and the female “kyon”. If you pay attention to the textbooks of Korean, then such constructions are often found in them. But if you listen to real live speech, you can see that Koreans themselves avoid such a turn: if it’s just rude to a guy, then it’s obscene to a girl.
Presumably, these pronouns pass in the Korean course so that the beginner creates for himself an image of a language similar to his native one, but in reality this leads to the formation of incorrect patterns. Of course, a Korean can guess that a foreigner using such pronouns simply does not understand the peculiarities of the meaning of the words used, but you can easily offend a person for nothing.
Sister!
The considered word "oppa" is applied to the male representatives, but if the girl is talking with another girl, then the appeal of "onni" will be useful here. This word is also conditionally translated into Russian as “elder sister”, but, as in the case of the Oppa, the term is much deeper, as it is associated with the peculiarities of Korean culture. At the same time, onni is used not only when communicating with friends, a young man can thus call a waitress in a cafe, and this treatment is considered acceptable, rather polite, not too familiar.
Madam girl!
It so happened that foreigners, once in Korea, turn to unfamiliar “agassi” girls, which in almost any dictionary translates as “girl”. But the Koreans themselves rarely say that, this word has a negative color, it is incorrect to apply it to a stranger. Although, of course, it all depends on the situation. For example, a woman of easy virtue is just “agassi,” but not a waitress in a cafeteria.
At the same time, “agassi” is often used by older Koreans, mostly males (but not necessarily), when they turn to young girls. In this case, the word does not carry any negative meaning (unless, of course, that follows from the context of the situation). The fact is that the word originally meant "young mistress," that is, a girl who, by social status, is higher than the speaker. If an elderly Korean uses this word, referring to his interlocutor, much younger than he, this shows a correct and respectful attitude. This word has acquired a negative meaning relatively recently, and many people in their age use it in the same meaning that they were used to during their youth.