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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Donghae
Joined: 24 Dec 2003
Location: Fukuoka, Japan
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 Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 10:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
I love it when an Op comes here, stirs up shite, and then doesn't bother to respond.  |
Indeed, but no surprise there. In my experience, discussions on this topic I've either seen on the internet or witnessed in person almost always turn out exactly the same way.
People who spent enough time and effort (and that's rarely going to be less than 3 or 4 years at the very minimum) on the language to be genuinely advanced enough in it nearly always confirm that they've listened out for locals dissing them in their own language, but that they rarely, if ever, hear this happening.
It's also nearly always the case that the people claiming in the first place that their year or so on the language has given them enough of an advanced listening ability to understand how much everyone around is abusing them left, right and centre, can never ever follow up on or substantiate their claims. Nor do they ever say in the first place exactly what they heard in the foreign language.
To be totally fair, it can be really frustrating when you're at that stage of learning a language where you've progressed just enough to start picking odd words up here and there, but most of what you hear is still beyond your comprehension. And it's probably only human that sometimes that frustration can lead people to wrongly make negative assumptions about the bits they didn't catch.
So I think people in the OP's situation are not totally undeserving of sympathy. But it would be nice if people in that situation were a bit more amenable to the possibility that they just might be getting the wrong end of stick a lot. Too many I've come across are just way, way too confident that a year or so's exposure to a new foreign language is enough to make you good enough to understand well enough to catch everything. It's even more disturbing when these people are actually language teachers themselves. |
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roadwork
Joined: 24 Nov 2008
Location: Goin' up the country
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| Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Donghae wrote: |
| Captain Corea wrote: |
| I love it when an Op comes here, stirs up shite, and then doesn't bother to respond. |
Indeed, but no surprise there. In my experience, discussions on this topic I've either seen on the internet or witnessed in person almost always turn out exactly the same way.
People who spent enough time and effort (and that's rarely going to be less than 3 or 4 years at the very minimum) on the language to be genuinely advanced enough in it nearly always confirm that they've listened out for locals dissing them in their own language, but that they rarely, if ever, hear this happening.
It's also nearly always the case that the people claiming in the first place that their year or so on the language has given them enough of an advanced listening ability to understand how much everyone around is abusing them left, right and centre, can never ever follow up on or substantiate their claims. Nor do they ever say in the first place exactly what they heard in the foreign language.
To be totally fair, it can be really frustrating when you're at that stage of learning a language where you've progressed just enough to start picking odd words up here and there, but most of what you hear is still beyond your comprehension. And it's probably only human that sometimes that frustration can lead people to wrongly make negative assumptions about the bits they didn't catch.
So I think people in the OP's situation are not totally undeserving of sympathy. But it would be nice if people in that situation were a bit more amenable to the possibility that they just might be getting the wrong end of stick a lot. Too many I've come across are just way, way too confident that a year or so's exposure to a new foreign language is enough to make you good enough to understand well enough to catch everything. It's even more disturbing when these people are actually language teachers themselves. |
Good point. Another thing to consider is the fact that their intonation is rather harsh and shrill compared to English (in my opinion), so that could also confuse someone as well. |
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kingplaya4
Joined: 14 May 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 12:31 am Post subject: |
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I almost never understand pedestrians or bus passengers Korean. Maybe its just me, but I need to be spoken to or turn the tv volume up a little loud for me to have a good idea of what is being said.
If two middle schoolers are chattering in front of me I might here some of the words I'm particularly familiar with but not near enough to know what they're talking about.
OP try Koreanclass101.com and see if you are at their advanced or intermediate level. After 3 years I study the intermediate and can understand most of what the broadcasters say when they revert to only Korean.
Most likely satisfy yourself with the knowledge that you have no idea what they're saying about you. And as an earlier poster said, waegukin isn't really a bad word here. |
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I'm no Picasso
Joined: 28 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 12:33 am Post subject: |
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| exit86 wrote: |
A common slur heard prior to fights is often "How old are you!!!!"
(spoken by the older combatant to the younger). |
I'm glad I read this, actually. I've been using "How old are you?" (in English, obviously) in class sometimes (always with a very casual and joking tone) to point out to the older boys that I shouldn't have to keep telling them to be quiet while others are reading an assignment/speaking to the class. Now I know why it always gets such a strong reaction. I'll be more careful about it now. |
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kiwiduncan
Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 12:38 am Post subject: |
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| Bucheonguy wrote: |
I must confess I haven't read all four pages of posts on here because it's going really slow.
What I've heard though, and it's happened several times over the past week is something like "waegukin (something) issekia" more or less something like that. I've heard that quite a bit. Now correct me if I'm wrong but I think that means foreign f***ker or something like that. I'm also not living in Seoul as you can probably tell by my name. |
There is an outside possibility that they might actually be saying "Hey, there's a foreigner who looks just like my old Amish friend Esekiah" |
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T-J
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul EunpyungGu Yeonsinnae
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 2:48 am Post subject: |
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| Bucheonguy wrote: |
I must confess I haven't read all four pages of posts on here because it's going really slow.
What I've heard though, and it's happened several times over the past week is something like "waegukin (something) issekia" more or less something like that. I've heard that quite a bit. Now correct me if I'm wrong but I think that means foreign f***ker or something like that. I'm also not living in Seoul as you can probably tell by my name. |
Mmmm,
K 1: Look, ????? ? foreigner! ?? ???? ?? ???.
K 2: ?? ??? ????? ?? f*ckin ???? ?? ? foreigner, ??? ???? ????? ? f*ckin idiot. ??? ?? ???? ?? ??? foreigner.
Which understandably could be upsetting.
However the conversation was actually:
K 1: Look, there's a foreigner! Go talk to him.
K 2: I'm not going to f*ckin talk to a foreigner, I'll feel like a f*ckin idiot. You go talk to the foreigner.
OP keep studying. There will be many ups and downs as you progress, but life will be much better in the long run. |
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samcheokguy
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
Location: Samcheok G-do
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 2:51 am Post subject: |
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the odds of anyone actually talking about you are rather low
the odds of anyone saying anything POSITIVE about you are however lower. |
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aka Dave
Joined: 02 May 2008
Location: Down by the river
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| Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:17 pm Post subject: |
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| I was running home from the gym with shorts and a sweatshirt, and this old Korean freaked out because I was wearing shorts in the cold weather. At first I thought he was pissed at something, but he was smiling, blathering on about the fact I was nuts to have shorts on. It was pretty damn cold, but I can't jog in sweat pants. |
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anjinsan
Joined: 26 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:08 am Post subject: |
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aka Dave--are you that dude who runs around Apkujong in shorts
in freezing weather? If so, I've seen you and talked about how much of a weirdo you are too.
----This is Korea--men aren't supposed to exercise. They should smoke, drink, and eat samgyupsal.
What are you thinking dude? |
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Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida
Joined: 27 Oct 2006
Location: Not Korea
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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5 years ago I was in VIPS (near Somyeon) with an Australian friend. Now, he could speak and write Korean fluently so he overheard many disparaging comments pointed his way.
So, he got angry confronted the group of young men and yelled at them in hangul for 5 minutes. When he was done their response was a cheery "welcome to Korea!". |
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thekakapo
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Location: Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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This whole thread makes me laugh a bit, because I can't tell you how many times I've gotten my friend Katie mad at me for saying things like "that woman looks like a hundred dead animals exploded all over her" at some of the horrible fur coats I've seen in this city. I just assume they won't speak English. I'm also pretty free with my curse words... I just assume they won't get it.
I'm a culprit!
Don't tell me you haven't muttered that some drunk ajosshi is a disgusting so-and-so when he spits at his shoes on the subway... |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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| mithridates wrote: |
| exit86 wrote: |
Hmmm . . . I'm gonna have to give my 2 cents worth here:
I've lived here in Korea for about a decade now, and have spoken Korean
well for about 8 of those years. I am very sensitive to comments I
hear from the locals, and I am always listening.
I haven't noticed anything really that bad at all. I hear a lot of stupid shiit
like this:
Jin Ho: Let's eat
Jin Wook: Sure, how about Bibimbap
JH: Sure, you pay . . .
[I walk by, the two stop their conversation momentarily, then resume]
JH: . . . and I really need to study English more
JW: Yeah, me too.
I also hear a lot of flattering comments like "Wow, foreign men are handsome" [ha!!] or "Wow, he is tall!" Upon hearing, I always smile at
the speaker and maybe wink.
It is very much my hobby to listen to what the locals say about/relating to
myself and my separate human species {homo sapiens non-koreanis/ homo sapiens waegookis}
and I am always quick to give folks who need it a really good talking to
about their rude-assss behavior; but, to this day, I haven't heard
anything truly insulting. It is a really good thing I haven't heard this yet too . . . . |
That's exactly what I was going to write, just replace 8 years with 5 or 6. |
Nor have I. The worst I've been called is a foreigner.
Granted, my Korean isn't nearly as good as you guys, but I am studying and it has opened up quite a few conversations to me.
The most offensive thing I've ever picked up since being able to understand generic, passerby conversations is the reaction of the convenience store clerk on my street.
Everytime I used to buy something there, I'd politely say "goodbye (to the one who is staying)" in Korean. She'd politely say, smiling, "GTFO" (in Korean). I don't go there anymore, but it actually entertained me more than bothered me.
If you looked at her face it looked like she was saying something about daisies, unicorns and sunshine, but she was actually telling me to get the F off the premises.  |
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Scotticus
Joined: 18 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
She'd politely say, smiling, "GTFO" (in Korean). I don't go there anymore, but it actually entertained me more than bothered me.
If you looked at her face it looked like she was saying something about daisies, unicorns and sunshine, but she was actually telling me to get the F off the premises. |
I can't tell you how much I hate this kind of thing. People taking advantage of someone else's lack of ability to speak a language in order to publicly mock them is absolutely abhorrent. That goes for any place in any language. It's the mark of someone whose maturity level has never passed the upper elementary school mentality. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Scotticus wrote: |
| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
She'd politely say, smiling, "GTFO" (in Korean). I don't go there anymore, but it actually entertained me more than bothered me.
If you looked at her face it looked like she was saying something about daisies, unicorns and sunshine, but she was actually telling me to get the F off the premises. |
I can't tell you how much I hate this kind of thing. People taking advantage of someone else's lack of ability to speak a language in order to publicly mock them is absolutely abhorrent. That goes for any place in any language. It's the mark of someone whose maturity level has never passed the upper elementary school mentality. |
It surprised me because I've seen a lot more English teachers doing this to Koreans than I've seen Koreans doing this to English teachers. I don't like it either but in that situation I was more surprised by the fact that a Korean was actually doing that. I'd expect as much from a Westerner but not from a Korean. |
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Pooty
Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Location: Ela stin agalia mou
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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Could Incognito repeat here (using Korean characters) what she said?
Just curious. |
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