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| How do you respond to the "Are you Okay?" Question? |
| Negatively, I usually assume something is wrong somewhere. |
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17% |
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| Positively, as I've been complaining alot and I think someone is concerned and listening to my needs. |
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29% |
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| They say that? |
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| Total Votes : 17 |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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 Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 11:48 am Post subject: The "Are you okay?" Question!! |
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Anyone else thrown-off when Koreans say this to you? I mean its taught in most Korean textbooks for English, and most even elementary learners seem to know this phrase.
But whenever I hear it, I get this automatic response to say 'of course I am!. Why? Why shouldn't everything be okay? Is something wrong that I don't know about? What happened?'
Then I begin phase 2 and wonder if I had some kind of depressed, manic or otherwise alarming facial expression.
Phase 3 I jolt back into that I'm in Korea, and if I'm around Koreans, there is a high chance they'll ask it like that but but really meant to say a 'hey, how's it going?' or 'yo whats up?' or something quite lighter.
I suppose that stone serious 'hope I'm saying this right in English' look on their face also adds to its quality rather than the light fling and a smile of how a 'how's it going?'. That is if the common phrases rather than the uncommon ones weren't in their textbooks to learn. |
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Clutch Cargo
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Location: Sim City 2005
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| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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I get equally disarmed when I'm asked by young strangers and other students "What's your name?" It comes across as a demand I think because the intonation is all out of whack. There is equal stress on all of the words instead of maybe only being on 'your.'
'WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"
"What's YOUR name?" |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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It bugs me because stupid questions like that make it really hard to just relax and have a good time. I feel like saying "No, I'm not ok, but if you stopped asking me every 5 minutes everything would be great."
I know it's nice that people try and keep the foreigner happy and make sure he/she is happy, but jeez just relax.. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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| I think thats the biggest difference between Korea and everywhere else. No one here seems capable of relaxing, particularly in social environments. |
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Zed
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Shakedown Street
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 5:46 am Post subject: |
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| The question my students ask me that I'm trying to wean them from is "Who are you?" used in completely inappropraiate contexts. I know that it's the literal translation of a Korean expression they use to mean "what are you doing here?" or "what did you do that for?" but I'm having a hell of a time convincing them that it sounds ridiculous the way they use it. |
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whatthefunk
Joined: 21 Apr 2003
Location: Dont have a clue
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 6:22 am Post subject: |
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| Zed wrote: |
| The question my students ask me that I'm trying to wean them from is "Who are you?" used in completely inappropraiate contexts. I know that it's the literal translation of a Korean expression they use to mean "what are you doing here?" or "what did you do that for?" but I'm having a hell of a time convincing them that it sounds ridiculous the way they use it. |
Yeah, I hate this too. I think my kids confuse it with 'How are you' because I walk into the class and they say 'Who are you?' and then I have to tell them that Im Mr. America or something... 7 more weeks.. |
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Emma Clare
Joined: 24 May 2003
Location: Anseong, sung, song.
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 7:12 am Post subject: |
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Somewhat similar...
It drives me crazy having my genial hosts ask me every 2 minutes "are you O.K?", "Can I help you?", "Please let me help you" (I spent a week in a Korean home over Chusok. Plus, on numerous other occasions)
Guess I'm just too bloody minded and independent to appreciate such concerns. It just makes me think that a lot of Koreans are wet and can't do anything for themselves, and therefore they assume that I can't either.  |
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Zed
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Shakedown Street
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 9:42 am Post subject: |
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| Hell, my mother does that. It makes every family gathering sooooo enjoyable. |
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little mixed girl
Joined: 11 Jun 2003
Location: shin hyesung's bed~
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 11:55 am Post subject: |
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Last edited by little mixed girl on Mon May 05, 2008 11:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:55 pm Post subject: |
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| little mixed girl wrote: |
hmm....i never got that...
the closest i got was one girl said "hi" or "hello" to me in idae  |
Hmm.. maybe you looked okay..  the rest of us don't quite look okay.. all bugged out and shit 
Usually its moreso from people you already know.. generally who you work with.. or maybe some Korean bartender who sees you on a semi-regular basis.. |
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ajuma
Joined: 18 Feb 2003
Location: Anywere but Seoul!!
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| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2003 10:21 am Post subject: |
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| This semester, I've been working really hard at teaching my students "real" English instead of "book" English. How many times have you asked someone "What's your hobby???" Books are a good starting point, but you've got to go above and beyond!... "Fine, thank you...and you??" |
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billbile
Joined: 10 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 4:32 am Post subject: |
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Apparently this is the Korean definition of kindness. Asking personal questions like this (or whether or not you are married) shows that they are concerned and caring. Coupled with the idea some Koreans have that they can somehow guess from your face exactly what your problems in life are, it can make for some truly annoying questions and comments. 
"You don't look happy."
"But...what? I'm happy though. that is, I'm not unhappy. What makes you say that?"
"Because we know. We Koreans are very good at reading faces."
Which can explain perhaps somehow those downright annoying, extremely exaggerated 'I'm bored' gestures they have: gestures which I am quite happy to ignore completely. |
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kiwiboy_nz_99
Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Location: ...Enlightenment...
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| Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2003 6:14 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| "What's your hobby???" |
I think about this too. First I thought "What do you do for fun?" or "What do you do on the weekend?" were ok substitutes. Then I thought some more and realised I never say those things either. We tend to let the conversation flow, and trust that the other person will naturally reveal what they want you to know about them. Turns out teaching a language is very much about teaching culture too, at least the culture of communication.
I have the same problem with "What's your family number?" which, even when amended to "How many people are there in your family?" is just something that we never say. We may say "Do you have any brothers and sisters?", but we tend to presume that if you are a human being you have a mother and a father, so why mention it. If the situation is non-standard ie single parents, remarriege etc, the person will reveal what they want you to know in good time. Even the brothers and sisters thing is not something I ever ask when I meet a new person, if I ask it at all it's usually after I have bonded and had several meetings with a person. A surface look at this may imply that Koreans value family more, and thus they think it's respectful to show an interest in your family structure. On deeper consideration, maybe we feel that family is so important that discussing it represents a deeper and more intimate level of relationship than can be attained on first meeting. Thus, our slowness to discuss family could be a sign of our very deep reverance for the institution.
Intriguing indeed, and they say any old bum with a BA can teach English! |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 6:43 am Post subject: |
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| little mixed girl wrote: |
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Hanson
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 6:50 am Post subject: |
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| Man, I miss kiwiboy...Satori... whateverelsehecalledhimself.... |
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