Korean Job Discussion Forums

[oilers4ever]

Hey guys!
I think this questions is mainly directed at teachers who have been here for quite a while.
Is this just me? My English seems to be getting really worse and I'm a native Canadian. Im speaking WAY too slowly and whenver I call or go back home, everyone notices how slow I'm talking and with broken sentences!!! I talk to them like their my students, but I dont notice it half the time! It sucks, haha. Im also forget some of my own vocabulary from time to time. I guess its lack of interaction with foreigners, since there arent too many where I live.

Anyway, its getting weird

[Wondering]

That's why I listen to the TV like some listen to a radio. It's on almost constantly when I'm at home. Generally, I have no idea what's on, but I figure it's good for my brain to hear some English in the background.





But, I don't think it's really working. I listen to conversations of newbies and think, hey, I used to talk like that.

[seoulman1]

speaking slowly and clearly is a good thing though.. even to other natives.

[jinks]

I'm on holiday in New Zealand for the first time after nearly three years in Korea, and I'm not noticing any loss of native English speaking capacity.
My language skills were always pretty good and being out of a mainly English speaking environment hasn't caused any deterioration in my English communication, at least not that anyone has commented on. I do use more American English than I used to, but I don't forget words (unless I'm really wasted) or speak like a foreigner with broken English. I don't use broken English with my students, so maybe that is why my language skills are not deteriorating at the same rate as the OPs, how long have you been here, BTW?.
If you really are noticing a drop in your native proficiency here are a few things that you can do if you want to arrest and reverse the language loss.
Listen (online) to talk radio
Call home - frequently
Read - copiously
Watch movies - blockbusters AND some mind expanding stuff
Join, or create, a group of like minded English speakers - book club, writing group, environment group, anything!
Get in touch with KOTESOL - there are chapters in all the major cities; like minded professional people who are great to party with.
One problem I do have with English though is the phrase "luck out". Does it mean "lucky" or "unlucky"? I'm never sure about that one.

[Demophobe]

It would be an interesting area of research to see if this is an aspect of acculturation; a level people move through linguistically when somewhat isolated from their mother tongue and dealing with people who require an altered version of it.

I think its just a phase. Your brain will sort it out soon enough. There was a time, a year or so into my stay when my calls home were getting slow, simple...generally worrisome. Like I was strung out on lithium or something.

Reading, talking with English-speaking friends and listening to audio recordings or speeches, lectures; academic stuff seemed to help a lot.

I would refrain from watching TV in Korea. Seems everything outside of the Discovery channel exasperates the problem.

[normalcyispasse]

WHAT YOU SAY?

[oilers4ever]

[Woland]

[aphong420]

Some common sense advice:

Pick up a book every once in a while.

[darkhorse_NZ]

I knew a chick who taught in Japan for just one year and came back talking like she'd suffered a stroke and paralysed her left side.

A few Kiwis here I know are changing the way they say certain vowels outside the classroom without knowing it.

There's this Canadian guy who's taken to saying 'mate' and 'bloke'.

it's quite cool having your accent changed by outside forces unwittingly but that last example is especially wierd on the ear...

[Tony_Balony]

No, my English is fine if not better. I'm paid to run my fat mouth full bore in English and I do so at every opportunity. I even write more here.

[contrarian]

I am starting to drop my articles in everyday conversation. "I teach at highschool".

[awalk2remember]

[oilers4ever]

[oilers4ever]