A Study on the Comprehension and Expression of Honorific System by Intellectual Disability Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify differences in comprehension and expression of the honorific system for intellectual disability students (IDS) and confirm need for education. Methods: The subjects were 15 students with intellectual disability, 15 children with normal development matched for language age to the students with intellectual disability, and 15 ordinary adults matched for life age to the adults with intellectual disability. They were asked to examine 12 questions each on comprehension and expression honorific system individually. Results: First, as a result of the honorific system test, IDS's honorific system was increased as their language age (10, 11, and 12 years) increased, and there were differences among three groups with different language age. Also, for the result of honorific types (e.g., subject, object, hearer honorifics) and level of difficulty in the honorific question types (e.g., above average, average, below average), there was a significant difference between the three groups. Second, an analysis of the percentage of IDS group's error responses to questions about the honorific system test showed that 'raising the name' and 'woo-ri/jeo-hui' questions had a high percentage of error answers. Conclusion: These results suggest that the IDS group is lower average to the honorific system than other groups. To use the honorific system is important to IDS group who starts social life soon because the honorific system is a communication method that respects the others. Therefore, it can be seen the honorific system education is necessary and suggests that IDS group needs to consider the types and difficulty levels in the education of honorific system.