Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Homer]

ernie,

Developing an ear for a language us one of the biggest hurdles. But, people will not (most of them anyway) slow down for you....if you want to learn the best way is to keep working at it and try to understand people at their normal speed because in the end that is what you will need!

Good luck.

[tomato]

In South America, the people are more likely to slow down for you.
That's because the people of South America are more accustomed to dealing with foreigners than the people here.

[stevieg4ever]

I studied Korean for 2 years in London prior to coming out here. Admitedley I was only a part time student with just 2 hours formal study a week but boy has it served me well in the 3 months ive been here, its invaluable and I couldnt imagine living here without knowing Korean. The rewards are permeating, colatteral and lasting. There is still a tremendous amount to learn in terms of vocabulary and grammar but I am learning everyday.

You have to knuckle down and really get to grips with the basics. The markers, particles, basic verb conjugation, syntax and work on your pronunciation as much as possible. Vocabulary is a daily exercise. If you are a bare bones beginner I would recommend 2 hours of old fashioned elbow greece ahead of 2 hours in a hof with someone who will invariably end up speaking to in English or time spent trawlling the internet for the perfect website.

Lastly, in my opinion, formal learning is a must. If you are fortunate to be in Seoul or Incheon or near a university then enrol because it will really be worth the investment. Anything is possible with effort and work: if 3-d workers in 안성 and such places can learn Korean im sure many others on Daves can. Being from the UK I didnt have a second language under my belt before Korean, i almost gave up after the first lesson but carried on while my peers all dropped out gradually.

[Homer]

Interesting point Tomato.

Never been to South Am do thanks for the wider perspective.

I can cite Europe as an example too....in France for example, they do not slow down one bit for you if you are a foreigner speaking French. Same deal in England for non-English speakers and in Spain for non-spanish speakers (in my experience anyway!).

It varies from place to place....

[skeeterses]

I know that some Koreans do talk very fast and simply will not slow down for the foreigner. My bicycle mechanic speaks Korean to me and speaks fast. But if it's something important, I can usually ask him to say it again or try to repeat the main idea back to him and he can nod or shake his head.

My advice is to find a local sigdang where the ajumani will talk to you in Korean. She might not slow down necessarily but will most likely use words at your level.

[venus]

To be straight up honest, I've tried studying Korean (been here 3 years) but it doesn't stick in my head, I don't like the language and it's just too difficult and I don't enjoy it.

Don't get me wrong, I know enough to get around and shop, get a taxi, display manners etc, but that's it.

I'm studying Spanish at the moment as I'm moving to Spain next year.

It sticks in my head, I pick it up quickly and I enjoy it.

I know enough Korean for my needs and interactions. I'd like to know more but just can't push myself to do somethig I really don't like if it's not neccesary. It would be like wearing clothes I didn't like or eating something I didn't like just for the sake of it....

If I planned to stay here long term and settle down with a Korean wife etc, then I would do it for sure. But that's not my plan.....

[tex1982]

I'm closing in on the end of my first year. I can read hangul and order in restaurants, etc. I also always attempt to be polite with what little Korean I know. BUT I'm leaving shortly and I'm 99% sure I'll never use the language again once I leave.
I thought when I first arrived about 'intensively' studying Korean, but I have other hobbies and also figured that if I tried really hard I might be at a high-beginner or low-intermediate level by the time I left the country. I was also aware that a year or two after leaving Korea and not using it I'd probably forget most of what I'd learned anyway.

[ABC KID]

[ernie]

i find vocabulary to be a real hurdle because it isn't root-based AT ALL! i can't seem to build my vocab without rote memorization of 500 words that aren't related in any way to each other... i find english and french vocabulary to be much more intuitive because the words tend to build on other words much more...

[excitinghead]

[ernie]

i mean more that it's difficult to deduce meaning based upon the syllables of a word, for example: i was on a hiking trip and my friends asked me if i knew about 바지산 (i'm not sure if that's the spelling)... so i'm thinking: hmmm... some kind of mountain (산)... pants (바지) mountain? hiking pants? not even close (laughter). this kind of thing is a daily occurence for me...

[excitinghead]

[ernie]

thanks for the advice... i definitely will look for that book... is there any reading material that you would recommend?

[tomato]

Ernie, do you like kids?
If you do, I suggest going to the kiddy room at the library.
The libraries in most larger cities have not only a children's room, but a subsection for especially little books for especially little kids.
Since the books are written in simple language, they will be instrumental in filling in any important gaps in your vocabulary.
Moreover, if you translate the books, they can be good materials for your English class.

You will likely attract the attention of the little kids at the library,
and some of them will want you to read to them.
That will give you good practice in reading aloud.
If, unlike many adults, you don't mind having children crawling on you and weeweeing in your lap, go for it.

I have had the same problem you have had: discerning the spelling of a word by listening.
When I have something to say, I can plan in advance, looking up all the words I need to know.
I have the same luxury when I read or write.
When I listen, however, I am at the mercy of the Korean speaker, who may or may not use words already in my vocabulary.
I have considered taking the Proficiency Test, but the listening section of the test scares me.
So I looked up "listening Korean" on the Amazon site.
I noticed that most of the items listed had either the same publishers or the authors, so I figured they must be merely different editions of the same thing.
So I ordered just one item.

Sorry, I can't recommend the item yet, because it hasn't arrived yet.

[excitinghead]