Between the lines
China DailyEditor's note: In this weekly feature China Daily gives voice to Asia and its people. For example, they might say, "I don't think I can attend" instead of "I can't go", which sounds blunt to South Koreans if they are trying to maintain social relations. One linguist views that in South Korea, saying no is especially difficult not only due to social pressure but also because of hierarchies created by the honorific system of the South Korean language. "Interestingly, I found that employees — both those in superior and subordinate positions — who use honorifics with each other report greater satisfaction and less stress when communicating within the company," Lee said. Expressing one's honest opinion is also something many South Koreans feel uncomfortable about.
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