View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
jajdude
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 9:20 am Post subject: Still lousy at Korean? |
|
|
If you are like me, you have been here several years and still suck at speaking Korean.
My excuses:
I haven't studied much.
I get embarrassed easily.
I don't like being misunderstood, though that happens enough anyway.
I dislike being laughed at or ignored for attempting to use their language, even when I know the Korean(s) involved know even less English!
I now don't live near anywhere that offers Korean language classes. I'm lazy.
I don't really care (that pretty much sums it all up I guess).
I don't have a lot of respect for the language or the people.
Still sometimes I wish I could haul off some kick-ass Korean!
Actually, strange as it may sound, 3 or 4 years ago I would sometimes have conversations with Koreans in broken language, mainly when I was drunk. People were impressed I could manage a bit of communication. But I rarely even bother anymore. Guess I gave up a good while ago. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Zed
Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Shakedown Street
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 10:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
I studied quite a bit the first year I was here. After that I let it slide too much.
Possible reasons:
Laziness.
I didn't really expect to stay here for another contract.
I don't hang around with Koreans much and those I do speak English.
I'm satisfied that my Korean level gets me by day to day. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Toby
Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 4:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I am studying now, but not improving.
However. When I am drunk, I can sustain a 20 minute conversation without thinking about it. Dutch courage and all that. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 6:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
My korean is low-intermediate but when i am drunk I seem to be a damn good speaker.
Why is it when you are half-intoxicated(not completely plastered) it is much easier to speak a foreign language???? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
ryleeys
Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, MD
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 6:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I'm ashamed that after 6 months here, I'm still learning the most basic of grammar. The only functional Korean I know so far are courtesies and classroom commands. I study every day for about an hour, but the only way for me to learn something is to write it over... and over... and over... and over. I literally write a phrase at least 200 times before I remember it. Vocabulary is a little better; a single word I can get by with about 100 times and then I'll remember. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 6:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Some words I will remember after learning 1 time, some it takes me 20 times....
I'm a writer as well but the more you learn the more the words start to sound similar and they click a lot more easily. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Eazy_E
Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Location: British Columbia, Canada
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 6:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I would say I'm a high-level beginner. I have a good grasp of basic grammar and I'm able to carry on a simple conversation. The kids' parents really like it and I'm able to survive quite well with what I know.
One thing that helps is studying through several different resources: for example, the Ganada books, Sogang online courses, and Korean friends. If you overlap your studies in this way, it seems to stick in your mind much better than it would with just rote memorization, though unfortunately it seems the latter is still necessary especially in the early going.
I'm happy with what I've learned in less than a year, but my will to study seems to be stalling as I get closer to the end of my contract. If I come back for another year I'll definitely make a better go of it. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 6:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Eazy_E wrote: |
One thing that helps is studying through several different resources: for example, the Ganada books, Sogang online courses, and Korean friends. If you overlap your studies in this way, it seems to stick in your mind much better than it would with just rote memorization, though unfortunately it seems the latter is still necessary especially in the early going.
|
Highly recommended. i do/ and use all the above but the best book i found was the Seoul University workbook, great as it goes through all the techniques, reading, writing, answering simple yet challanging questions and listening. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
gomurr
Joined: 04 Feb 2003
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 7:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I'm in the same boat. Been here 7 years and still suck at it.
My reasons for learning was to pick up girls.
My Reason for quiting was I got fed up with Korean women and the women I did marry is a Filipina |
|
Back to top |
|
|
the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 7:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
ryleeys wrote: |
I'm ashamed that after 6 months here, I'm still learning the most basic of grammar. The only functional Korean I know so far are courtesies and classroom commands. I study every day for about an hour, but the only way for me to learn something is to write it over... and over... and over... and over. I literally write a phrase at least 200 times before I remember it. Vocabulary is a little better; a single word I can get by with about 100 times and then I'll remember. |
Man, you're attacking Korean in the same way that Koreans attack English -- should be obvious that doesn't work for the majority. Language is a skill, not knowledge, and you can't learn a skill effectively by spending most of your time reading about it.
Let's do the math:
Ericsson's studies show that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert with an advanced level of ability coming around 5,000 hours. English and Korean are distant languages so unlike, for example, an English speaker learning Spanish, you are in a sense learning a distantly related skill and the hour figures are probably not far off.
If you've studied every day for 6 months for an hour then you have about 180 hours of study under your belt. Let's generously double that (assuming you speak, read, listen, or write Korean for an hour a day outside of your formal style of studying) and you're at 360 hours. By the ACTFL scale you're still a novice and will be one, at this rate, for another 6 months or so. That's when you'll graduate to low intermediate and things really begin to slow down. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Kristsoy
Joined: 23 Mar 2004
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 7:28 pm Post subject: ... |
|
|
korean is useless outside of the country, even inside since people like taxi drivers dont understand/listen to what we are saying anyways |
|
Back to top |
|
|
the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 7:30 pm Post subject: Re: ... |
|
|
Kristsoy wrote: |
korean is useless outside of the country |
That's the beauty of it. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Kristsoy
Joined: 23 Mar 2004
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 7:33 pm Post subject: ... |
|
|
there's no beauty here man |
|
Back to top |
|
|
the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 7:37 pm Post subject: Re: ... |
|
|
Kristsoy wrote: |
there's no beauty here man |
"Beauty" as a near synynom for "cool thing" my dour friend. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
adventureman
Joined: 18 Feb 2003
|
Posted: Sun May 16, 2004 9:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I went to the movies on Sunday. When I went to buy my tickets, the girl in the booth saw me coming from a distance. Before I was even FINISHED walking up to ticket booth, instead of even giving me a millisecond to try to say something to her in Korean (which I have been attempting to learn lately and was eager to practice), she immediately grabbed her co-worker, who spoke more fluently in English and refused to business with me in Korean. This is not the first time I have subject to this kind of prejudice behavior.
Racisim. Another reason to be turned off to learning this country's language. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|