Korean Job Discussion Forums

[earthbound14]

I'm going to add a Konglish and common mistakes class to my schedule. Well, actually a few, but I want one class specifically dedicated to Konglish and a few of the most common mistakes.

What Konglish do your students use alot and what are they trying to say?

What are some of the most common mistakes?

Konglish

Fighting - often used when they want to say "Cheer up" or while at a soccer game instead of "GO (Insert team name here)" or "Aussie, Assie, Aussie, Oi Oi Oi!!!!" (If yer from down unda)
SF = sci fi movie
boiler (as in please turn on the boiler) = heater or furnace
skinship = close relationship where friends hold hands or touch each other
jumper = jacket
sweater = jumper, hoody, sweater
grade (I'm 1st grade high school/university student) = I'm in grade 10. I'm a 1st year student. I find this easier that using the terms freshmen----senior as I think these terms are only used in the US.


common mistakes:

over using the words play or do and often incorrectly
I played with my friends yesterday = I hung out with my friends.
I played ski. I do ski. = I went skiing.
I like play Taekwondo, or I train taewkondo = I do taekwondo

I usually explain that you: do exercises (usually in a gym or do-jang).
Play games (they have rules)
and go do sports where you need to move (like skiing) or go somewhere special (bowling alley, ski resort, bar - go out with friends)

I did arbeit = I had a part time job. I worked during winter vacation. I did a lot of work yesterday.

Incorrect use of adjectives

I am boring = It is boring. I am bored. I am bored of this teacher.

Incorrect use of present participle/continuous ("ing" ending)

I like read a book. = I like reading books. I like to read books.
I can swimming. = I can swim.
I am swim with my friend. = I am swimming with my friend.

Always use "Will" when they talk about the future.

I will meet my girlfriend this weekend. = I'm meeting my girlfriend this weekend. or I'm going to meet my girlfriend this weekend.

will should be used when you need to state you "will" do something for sure, as in setting a time to meet or agreeing to bring something, or do something.

Who's going to bring the kimchi to the party? - I'll bring it.
Can I meet you at 5pm? - Sounds good, I'll meet you at 5.
I need you to do your homework. - Yes, I'll do it. I won't forget.

[Insidejohnmalkovich]

They mistranslate Kim Sonseangnim as Kim Teacher. It is Mr. Kim in English.

Also they call secretaries "desk teachers" and bus helpers/assistants "bus teachers."

[Mr. BlackCat]

How about "Nice to meet you." Well, we haven't met. Or, we met over a year ago. I'm trying my best to teach my elementary students that it's not ok to just yell any and all English at every foreigner they see. It's also not ok to ask strangers demanding questions from across the street (How old are you?! Where are you from?! Are you married?!) Actually, most adults here could do for the same lesson.

I suppose this is more of a cultural lesson than a language one. But definitely the "Nice to meet you" and "Nice to see you". Also, it's alright to say something other than 'fine' when someone asks how you're doing.

[CentralCali]

Whatever you do, don't offer a class in spelling.*

Now that I have that out of the way, Konglish is simply that portion of the Korean language which is composed of loan words from English. A good Korean dictionary will identify those words and their origins just as a good English dictionary identifies loan words in English. The common mistakes class is, in my opion, a wonderful idea. I incorporate that information into my classes as needed. I explain that while English and Korean both use more or less the same word (hwa-i-ting obviously not being identical to fight-ing), the words can have different meanings and usages in English than they do in Korean.

The two biggest obstacles I find to informing my students here about actual English usage are their textbooks and the Korean teachers of English. The latter seem to me to be prone to a near-worship of the former, mostly because the books were written by Koreans. Another problem with the teachers (and possibly the textbooks) is a severe condemnation of using Konglish while speaking Korean. My feeling is such condemnation inculcates a fear of uttering anything that even "sounds English."

*I'm only half-kidding about that and not just because of the errors in the OP. My co-teachers are fully aware that the Korean language has a number of dialects; however, I get the infamous "deer in the headlights" response when I attempt to explain that the same phenomenon occurs in English also. Part of that phenomenon in English is a difference in spelling of certain words in different dialects. The Korean teachers are fully convinced that there is one and only one correct way to spell something in English and that there cannot possibly be an acceptable variant spelling. To so many Korean teachers, differences among the prestige dialects of English are the linguistic equivalent of fan death.

[CentralCali]

[mnhnhyouh]

The last teacher at my school left me with a powerpoint Konglish game. 6 categories with 5 levels. It makes a good lesson for a big class.

If you send me a pm with an email address I will email it to you next week when I get back to school.

h

[articulate_ink]

There's a whole textbook on that, titled Things Native Speakers Do Not Say. It was written by a team of two Americans and one Korean, and published by Chonghab. I don't have it with me at home, and couldn't find a link; sorry I can't give more specific information. As far as I know, it's still in print, because I'm using it as the textbook for my intro conversation classes this semester. It's a great book for university and adult-level false beginners who know quite a lot of the language but not so much about how to avoid the things you mentioned. High school students and possibly even middle school kids might be able to benefit from it as well. It's mostly in English but there's a Korean section in each chapter that explains the target words and phrases. I'm liking this book a lot and the students are getting it, which is nice. Highly recommended and worth tracking down.

[jajdude]

Konglish is Korean. English speakers in other countries, unfamiliar with it, will
likely be unable to understand. It's OK for Koreans to use it with each other, but with foreigners, forget it. Those of us who've been here long enough may give Korean students a skewed perspective that what they are saying is OK because WE understand it. Remember the outside world probably would not.

Anyway, this would be something I'd point out regarding Konglish if I taught about it.

[poet13]

Typical mistakes Koreans make when speaking English.

I don't know how to copy the link, so I bumped it. It should be near the top for a while in general discussion.

[ED209]

"Teacher, cunning!" when they mean cheating by copying someone else's work.

And 'I have a/an appointment/promise/meeting(noun) tonight' when they mean 'I'm seeing a friend tonight'


but yeah check out the thread poet mentioned

Typical mistakes Koreans make when speaking English.

[earthbound14]