Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kiwi Tart]

Koreans use the word "poor" in the oddest sense, and I can't figure out how to correct it.
For example: Little Timmy failed his test, then he went home and got in a lot of trouble with his mother, and then had to come to school with no lunch because he was chased by bullies while waiting on the bus.

My Korean students would hear this and say/write "Timmy is poor."

Where does this come from? Is this a misuse of "Oh, poor Timmy!" or is it British English? (I vaguely remember seeing a British children's book with the same "poor" wording, but meaning "sick")? Or is it just some strange Korean-made Konglish that makes no sense whatsoever?

Thanks. This has been driving me nuts all month

~The Tart

[tzechuk]

*What a poor child*...?

*Such a poor dear*...?

But I think it's a misuse because I am racking my brain and can't think of an instance when we'd say *Timmy is poor*.

[redaxe]

From Naver Korean-English dictionary http://endic.naver.com/

불쌍하다【가엾다】(be) poor;pitiable;pitiful;piteous;【애처롭다】(be) pathetic;touching
불쌍한 고아 a poor orphan
불쌍한 처지 a wretched[pitiful, miserable] plight[condition]
불쌍해서 out of pity[sympathy]
불쌍하게도 pitiful to tell;I am sorry to say�;unfortunately
불쌍한 생각이 들다 be touched with pity 《for》;touch one�s heart;feel pity for 《a person》
불쌍히 여기다 pity 《a person》;take pity[compassion] on 《a person》
불쌍하기도 하지! What a pity! or Poor thing[girl, child]!

That's why.

Just tell them to say "pitiful" instead of "poor." If they look up the appropriate Korean word in the dictionary, there's no way for them to know that "Timmy is poor" is not idiomatic usage. That's why they hired you, a native speaker, to teach them English.

[tenchu77491]

Timmy's English is poor.
How is Timmy's English? It's poor. Timmy is poor (at English).

[samd]

[tenchu77491]

[caniff]

[tenchu77491]

[andrewchon]

I'd say it's a matter of current context of the word 'poor'.
"Timmy is poor." would mean Timmy is pennyless.
"Poor Timmy" would mean Timmy has suffered a misfortune.
Korean "불쌍하다" is equivalent to the the latter in contextual sense, but straight parsing translation would give the nonsensical "Timmy is poor".
"Timmy is pitiful" would be the correct translation, but how many Korean students ever learn any more than necessary?

[Samurai Blur]

Yeah, my girlfriend uses the "Timmy is poor" context all the time. When her grandmother was dying of cancer she would always say "She is poor," about her having a hard life and then dying of cancer. She wasn't literally poor though. I hadn't corrected her since I'm just used to how she talks and I guess I didn't think much of it. She's a university student in the states now so I guess I should tell her that it isn't correct, for her own benefit.
Thanks for bringing this little trend to my attention.

[morrisonhotel]

Yes, we Brits do use such phraseology to mean that Timmy is sick.

[English Matt]

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

How did the expression "piss poor" come about

eg That's a piss poor excuse for an explanation.

[English Matt]

[MrMr]

Could it be incorrect phrasing of, "Timmy is feeling poorly".