The narrator’s stance and mental attitude presented in a catchphrase - The comparison of Korean and Japanese shopping sites -

In the present study, a catchphrase used in a Korean shopping site and that in a Japanese counterpart were examined in order to analyze the modality used for each catchphrase, and compare its narrator’s stance and mental attitude for the behavior request.BR As a result of classifying the modality forms, it was found ten different forms of modality have been used for the Korean catchphrases. In contrast, the limited numbers of modality forms were used for the Japanese counterparts. In addition, assumed that the modality form used in a catchphrase represents its narrator’s stance, it was classified under three categories: an advertiser, a consumer, a friend, then the modality forms used by each of three stances were analyzed. Next, the strength of mental attitude for the behavior request was measured. As a result of comparing the ratios of the different modality forms used for the catchphrases, it was found that the ‘declarative modality’ with both strong and weak forms of mental attitude have been mainly used for the Korean catchphrases. On the other hand, the Japanese counterparts presented the limited numbers of modality forms used, and as for the strength of mental attitude, showed a tendency for the declarative modality with modest strength being mainly used.BR Language expression represents the language use of the period. While Japanese catchphrases stick to a passive request of behavior, Korean counterparts were found presenting the strong form, to a certain extent, of ‘evaluative modality’ as well as the weakest form of ‘hearsay modality’; In conclusion, Korean catchphrases corresponds to a consumer more dynamically and positively in accordance with the change of time.