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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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 Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:38 am Post subject: |
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I remember the words that sound like or reference english in some way.
e.g. salt= sorgum
(sorghum is the plant sugar derives from)
sugar= saltang
(which sounds like 'salt").
so there you have an easy reverse meaning connection.
Sadly there are so few words with any similarity to english though. Its tough... |
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MollyBloom
Joined: 21 Jul 2006
Location: James Joyce's pants
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Can you recommend any good books for learning Korean (beginners vocab and grammar)? And also, where would the best place to buy the books in Seoul? How about children's books? Would you recommend them or do they not really teach as much as could be learned? I know Hangul and my pronunciation is good. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Night Ranger wrote: |
| you know what would really be great.....if Koreans actually gave a rat's anus that a white guy knew Korean..then it would actually be worthwhile. |
Actually, studying Korean at work (which is what I often do in my large amount of free time there) makes a really good impression upon my co-workers. Like many cultures, Koreans feel respected when someone from a different culture takes the time to learn something about theirs. Trust me, knowing Korean will really help you out if you plan on being here awhile. Man foreigners who can speak Korean will testify to this.
Besides, wouldn't it just be better to know the language of the place you lived in? I couldn't imagine living anywhere for a long time without at least trying to learn the language. Everytime I learn something new and then hear it somewhere or see it written down, always makes me feel ecstatic.
The Korean I know, which isn't much but it's some, has allowed me to feel more at ease at work and in daily life. |
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tomato
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
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| Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:43 am Post subject: |
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| MollyBloom wrote: |
| How about children's books? Would you recommend them or do they not really teach as much as could be learned? I know Hangul and my pronunciation is good. |
I keep an alphabetical--or should I say ganada--list of the all the children's books I've read. I've passed the 300 mark and I'm pushing for 1000. I like the feeling of having understood an entire book. That always encourages me to read another.
I sometimes go to the children's room in the library on weekends and read all the books I can. If you enjoy kids, I don't know of any better way. On some weekends, nobody notices me, so I get to study very diligently. On other weekends, I attract an audience.
Some of the kids will be too young to read but their parents will be too busy to pay attention to them, so they will ask you to read to them. Some of the kids will be able to read Korean faster than you can, but they will ask you to read to them anyway.
The kids will appreciate it and the parents will appreciate it. You will not be seen as a predator, like you would in our own culture.
It is always refreshing to meet Korean children, who haven't learned that all English-speaking foreigners are helpless infants. After a whole week infantile treatment from Korean teachers and administrators, it is a welcome contrast.
However, like every nook and cranny in Korea, the library is not safe from infiltration by the Miriam Ferguson Society. On some weekends, there will be smiling, pseudo-friendly adults who will try to interrupt your reading sessions with their usual do-you-like-kimchi monologue, but you can just ignore them.
| Night Ranger wrote: |
| you know what would really be great.....if Koreans actually gave a rat's anus that a white guy knew Korean..then it would actually be worthwhile. |
Thank you, Night Ranger!
That's what I keep saying on this forum.
Every time I point this out, people write back saying that Koreans treat Korean language students perfectly, and if I have the slightest grievance, than I am an advanced paranoia case and should be carted off to the hospital.
It's nice to be assured that I'm not imagining the whole thing.
| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| Actually, studying Korean at work (which is what I often do in my large amount of free time there) makes a really good impression upon my co-workers. |
You are lucky. In all the workplaces I've ever been, I've only gotten two reactions. Either they are oblivious to the fact that I am studying Korean, or they regard it as a nuisance.
You'd better keep your workplace a secret. If word leaks out, the MFS will send a couple of agents to infiltrate the place.
Last edited by tomato on Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:45 am; edited 1 time in total |
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greedy_bones
Joined: 01 Jul 2007
Location: not quite sure anymore
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| Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 4:52 am Post subject: |
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| MollyBloom wrote: |
| Can you recommend any good books for learning Korean (beginners vocab and grammar)? And also, where would the best place to buy the books in Seoul? How about children's books? Would you recommend them or do they not really teach as much as could be learned? I know Hangul and my pronunciation is good. |
Survival Korean by Stephen Revere is pretty good. I'm only a little bit into it, but it's pretty useful. It is a good mix of grammar, vocab, and culture stuff. If you don't know hangul yet, it has a section in the beginning covering it. Also, my recommendation, if you don't know hangul yet and work in a school that has a kindergarten class, is to snag a bunch of the worksheets from the korean teachers and use them for practice. You learn both vocab basics and hangul at the same time. |
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Night Ranger
Joined: 17 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:33 am Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| Night Ranger wrote: |
| you know what would really be great.....if Koreans actually gave a rat's anus that a white guy knew Korean..then it would actually be worthwhile. |
Actually, studying Korean at work (which is what I often do in my large amount of free time there) makes a really good impression upon my co-workers. Like many cultures, Koreans feel respected when someone from a different culture takes the time to learn something about theirs. Trust me, knowing Korean will really help you out if you plan on being here awhile. Man foreigners who can speak Korean will testify to this.
Besides, wouldn't it just be better to know the language of the place you lived in? I couldn't imagine living anywhere for a long time without at least trying to learn the language. Everytime I learn something new and then hear it somewhere or see it written down, always makes me feel ecstatic.
The Korean I know, which isn't much but it's some, has allowed me to feel more at ease at work and in daily life. |
Incognito..my man...you're kind of a noob about these things...so I'm gonna let you in on a little something. A white man is a white man is a white man to a Korean. You are no different than the guy that touched down in Incheon 45 minutes ago. I know you would like to think you are different..hell I would too..but you aren't. A white guy that knows 10,000,000 korean words and a white guy that knows 10 words are essentially the same thing to your average Korean....a Non-Person. |
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