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the eye

Joined: 29 Jan 2004
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:28 am Post subject: Koreans who switch to speaking 'English' when you approach. |
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Seems to happen to me almost every day. Today, 3 times in 2 hours.
You're walking down the street, approaching a gaggle of Koreans, consumed in conversation, clearly speaking in their own tongue.
As you are about to pass by, one of them shoots an English line.
"I'm beddy hungly", or "Do you want to water?, or "Is beddy hass"
My new pet peeve. And i've been trying to think up a good one liner to shoot back. One that doesn't go over their heads.
Is this a Daegu phenomenon? Because I've ner experienced it anywhere else in Korea. |
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Alyallen

Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Location: The 4th Greatest Place on Earth = Jeonju!!!
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:29 am Post subject: Re: Koreans who switch to speaking 'English' when you approa |
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the eye wrote: |
Seems to happen to me almost every day. Today, 3 times in 2 hours.
You're walking down the street, approaching a gaggle of Koreans, consumed in conversation, clearly speaking in their own tongue.
As you are about to pass by, one of them shoots an English line.
"I'm beddy hungly", or "Do you want to water?, or "Is beddy hass"
My new pet peeve. And i've been trying to think up a good one liner to shoot back. One that doesn't go over their heads.
Is this a Daegu phenomenon? Because I've ner experienced it anywhere else in Korea. |
Never really noticed.
I do remember sitting in a coffee shop with a Korean friend of mine. We were talking in English and she made a remark about how the Koreans around us were talking about how crappy their English is.
It's surprising how English-centric people can be here sometimes.... |
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dogbert

Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Location: Killbox 90210
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 1:25 am Post subject: |
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That happens quite a bit, usually accompanied by some giggling. |
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oneofthesarahs

Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Location: Sacheon City
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:12 am Post subject: |
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This weekend I was sitting on a bus a few rows in front of a little boy and his parents. I'm not great at understanding Korean, but the gist of their conversation went something like this:
Little boy: Oh! A foreigner! I want to talk to her!
Dad: (totally not interested) Uh-huh.
Little boy: I want to practice English!
Dad: (still not interested) Uh-huh. Then talk to her.
Little boy: I don't know what to say.
Then they brainstormed English phrases, coming up with such original gems as "Hello," "How are you?" and "Nice to meet you." The boy threw in a few words such as "head shot" and "monster." Obviously I wasn't that far from them and could hear everything they were saying, so the boy wasn't exactly going to be able to sneak attack me with any English. They eventually asked the mom for some English phrases and she thoughtfully added "Let's go" and "Lady first."
Eventually they scrapped the whole idea of talking to me at all. It was really kind of refreshing to hear Koreans basically say, "Maybe I shouldn't talk to the random foreigner if I don't know any English." |
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jajdude
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:32 am Post subject: |
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It happens frequently enough. I find it odd and don't really understand why they do it. They are never actually speaking to me or whoever may be with me, but they seem to get a kick out of using some English while knowing you can hear them. Strange and kind of annoying. |
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PimpofKorea

Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: Dealing in high quality imported English
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:50 am Post subject: |
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Yeah I remember one time I walked by some high school dudes...and they switched to English for no reason. Then I said "Nae Jaji Keuda" ( I have a big dingaling) I also grabbed it to further drive home the point.....God I love being a prik..... |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:55 am Post subject: |
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My favorite thing is when you pass by an ajoshi and he starts saying "okay, okay" to whoever he's talking to. That one never fails to impress my discerning ear!
I already made a thread about this same topic a year ago (thread here). The stories from the OP are pretty funny.
oneofthesarahs wrote: |
This weekend I was sitting on a bus a few rows in front of a little boy and his parents. I'm not great at understanding Korean, but the gist of their conversation went something like this:
Little boy: Oh! A foreigner! I want to talk to her!
Dad: (totally not interested) Uh-huh.
Little boy: I want to practice English!
Dad: (still not interested) Uh-huh. Then talk to her.
Little boy: I don't know what to say.
Then they brainstormed English phrases, coming up with such original gems as "Hello," "How are you?" and "Nice to meet you." The boy threw in a few words such as "head shot" and "monster." Obviously I wasn't that far from them and could hear everything they were saying, so the boy wasn't exactly going to be able to sneak attack me with any English. They eventually asked the mom for some English phrases and she thoughtfully added "Let's go" and "Lady first."
Eventually they scrapped the whole idea of talking to me at all. It was really kind of refreshing to hear Koreans basically say, "Maybe I shouldn't talk to the random foreigner if I don't know any English." |
What a great story. Head shot and mommy's thoughtfulness made me cackle. |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:59 am Post subject: |
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PimpofKorea wrote: |
Yeah I remember one time I walked by some high school dudes...and they switched to English for no reason. Then I said "Nae Jaji Keuda" ( I have a big dingaling) I also grabbed it to further drive home the point.....God I love being a prik..... |
으.. 너 고자 인데..
[You probably won't learn that word on Let's Speak Korean!] |
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PimpofKorea

Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: Dealing in high quality imported English
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:02 am Post subject: |
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Qinella wrote: |
PimpofKorea wrote: |
Yeah I remember one time I walked by some high school dudes...and they switched to English for no reason. Then I said "Nae Jaji Keuda" ( I have a big dingaling) I also grabbed it to further drive home the point.....God I love being a prik..... |
으.. 너 고자 인데..
[You probably won't learn that word on Let's Speak Korean!] |
hahaha.....thats not what your mom said...... |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:12 am Post subject: |
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PimpofKorea wrote: |
Qinella wrote: |
PimpofKorea wrote: |
Yeah I remember one time I walked by some high school dudes...and they switched to English for no reason. Then I said "Nae Jaji Keuda" ( I have a big dingaling) I also grabbed it to further drive home the point.....God I love being a prik..... |
으.. 너 고자 인데..
[You probably won't learn that word on Let's Speak Korean!] |
hahaha.....thats not what your mom said...... |
My mom's a virgin..
At least, that's what she said once (true story).
Sorry to hijack the thread! |
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PimpofKorea

Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: Dealing in high quality imported English
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:16 am Post subject: |
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Qinella wrote: |
PimpofKorea wrote: |
Qinella wrote: |
PimpofKorea wrote: |
Yeah I remember one time I walked by some high school dudes...and they switched to English for no reason. Then I said "Nae Jaji Keuda" ( I have a big dingaling) I also grabbed it to further drive home the point.....God I love being a prik..... |
으.. 너 고자 인데..
[You probably won't learn that word on Let's Speak Korean!] |
hahaha.....thats not what your mom said...... |
My mom's a virgin..
At least, that's what she said once (true story).
Sorry to hijack the thread! |
How about your dad....what's my chances of bedding him down? |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:19 am Post subject: |
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Is he really your type?
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PimpofKorea

Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Location: Dealing in high quality imported English
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:27 am Post subject: |
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Qinella wrote: |
Is he really your type?
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If he's anything like you....I'm willing to take that chance... |
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kotakji
Joined: 23 Oct 2006
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:26 am Post subject: |
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Well I guess I should admit that sometimes I switch from English to Korean whenever a particularly scowling individual nears me and my wife just to prove that yes, some foreigners can adapt (and to preempt any potentially divisive comments). |
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jaganath69

Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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I usually inform them that any attempt at an impromptu English lesson will result in me flicking the meter on at $40 bucks an hour. |
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