문학과 지성사

In search of communication in the era of excessive connections
and lack of connectedness.

Though broad in its scope of discussion, Inarticulateness primarily focuses on weaving the everyday lives of Koreans with the social context and cultural framework that surround them. Kim Chanho reviews and seeks resolutions for what he names “sinkholes,” found in different parts and sectors of Korean society, from individual lives to language and communication, relationships, generational conflicts, the aging population, education, and labor. The book is titled Inarticulateness, not to praise being inept at speaking per se but to reintroduce the importance of conscientious introspection before speech or action to today’s busy world. As the title suggests, the book pays close attention to language—a society’s linguistic topography is metonymic of the entire society, for language is the medium of communication and social connectedness.

Shedding light on the absence of “society” reflected in the fragmented, dreary use of language prevalent among Koreans, Inarticulateness ponders upon the restoration and regeneration of the diminished social connectedness. Kim Chanho argues for the possibility of finding the meaning and value of society that surpasses being an economic unit because human life requires a secure, trustworthy social space. The beauty of being “inarticulate” lies in its potential as an alternative space where we can take enough time to contemplate the problem.