Korean Job Discussion Forums

mithridates · Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2004 7:53 am Post subject: Publishing a book

Thanks to Mr. Pink, I've gotten around to contacting publishing companies to turn my lessons into a book. So far I've contacted Tuttle Publishing but am looking for others that might be interested (hint hint, let me know if you know any good ones).

Here's how the mail looks. Feel free to give criticism on the approach or anything that seems missing.

Dear ***** Publishing:

My name is **********, a Candian living in Seoul. I have spent two years in Japan and over a year in Korea and have become fluent in both languages. Korean laguage textbooks are severely lacking in number to their Japanese counterparts and I have therefore had a lot of popularity with the Korean lessons on my website (over 11 000 visitors since I started it in December last year). Having finished the first 25 lessons I would like to expand on them and make them into a book. My idea for the format of the book is as follows:

-Introduction, reading hangul, and so on

-25 or so lessons that cover most of the grammar. Each lesson works on one topic, such as how to say because, how to make a sentence negative, past tense, etc. These lessons are already finished and only need to be checked and expanded.

-10-15 intermediate lessons, each focusing on a certain type of Korean that one encounters while living here. One would be on Korean on the internet, another would be Korean one hears on the news, Korean that ajummas use, and so on. This part has not been written yet. It should feature content from actual sources, not just example sentences like in the first 25 lessons.

-Lastly, anywhere from 5-10 songs. There are two bands that I particularly like in Korea and they both happen to be from the same record label with the same manager. I chose them because they are not one-hit wonders, which sound dated after a few years. I have already translated some 20 songs from one of the bands and I plan to pick some of the songs that are easiest to hear and most conducive to study. Also, the band members are friends of mine so it shouldn't be too hard to enlist their cooperation.

-Appendix with index of grammar that one encounters in the book.

Here is one of the lessons from my site (lesson 20):

------------

Today's lesson is about how to say that you like or hate something.

First of all, the two most commonly used words for like and hate:

�� - to be good/liked (particle ��)

�� - to like something (particle ��)

�Ⱦ� - to be bad/disliked (particle ��)

�Ⱦ� �� - to hate something (particle ��)

Now, to combine �� and �Ⱦ� with a verb, take off the �� and replace it with ��, making it a gerund (like swim - swimming, eat - eating). After that �� you can put on �� or �Ⱦ�.

For example:

��ġ�� Ա� �Ⱦ� - I hate eating kimchi.

�ʴ� ��ͳ�� ϱ� ��? - Do you like using the internet?

Another way to say �Ⱦ� of course is �� , so �ʶ� ��ϱ� �� is pretty much the same as �ʶ� ��ϱ� �Ⱦ� (I don't like talking with you).

The word �Ӵ� (conjugated as �̿�) means hateful, but it's not used in the same way as �ȴ�. �Ӵ� is usually used when talking about somebody's personality, like a person that never phones you back and is always seeing somebody else behind your back, that's �̿�.

Since we're using gerunds here, I should note that you can use all sorts of other verbs with them. For example:

��ȭ�� ־��? - Do you like watching movies? (Is watching movies interesting?)

�� ̶� ��ϱ� ��? - Is it awkward talking with that person?

And so on...

Decipher these five sentences, answers below:

1) �� ߿�� ۿ� �� Ⱦ��.

2) ��ȭ�� Ȱ�, �� Ա� �Ȱ�, Ŀ�Ǹ��ñ� �Ȱ�, �� ϱ� ��?

3) ��Ż�� ϱ� ��ڴ�. �� ϱ� ��.

4) �� ׳� �ʶ� �ֱ� ��.

5) �� θ� �� ϱ� ��!

1- I don't want to go out today because it's cold.

2- You hate watching movies, eating, drinking coffee - what do you like to do?

3- That's great that you get to go to Italy. I like travelling too.

4- I just like to be with you.

5- I like not studying!

------------------

And here is an example of one of the songs I have featured in the lessons:

------------------

This is a nice song from their first album that is also very easy. When teaching Korean in person this is generally the first song I pick. It has a lot of �ص�, which means 'even if'.

Open this link in a new window and click on the headphone icon next to track #2.

http://music.bugs.co.kr/Info/album.asp?album=31

There is also the song being played live here, which is in my opinion done a little better than the first recording. The ending was done better...it's track #7 here.

http://music.bugs.co.kr/Info/album.asp?album=7900

Song lyrics

�� о �� ɾ��
�ƹ� �͵� �� ƹ��͵� ��

�� μ��
�μ��
�� ʾ� �� ʾ�

�翡 �ٰ�� ̼� ��
�� ٶ�� ʾ� �� ٶ�� ʾ�

�ʹ� �ʹ� �Ƹ��ٿ� ��
�Ƹ��ٿ� �ʿ��Լ� ü�� Ǫ��
�� ν� �� ν�

�׳డ ��߾� �� Ҿ�� ִٰ�
�μ�� ִٰ�
�� ʾ� �� ʾ�

�ʸ� �ٶ�� ص�
�� ˾� �� ʾ� �� ˾� �� ʾ�

�� μ��
�μ��
�� ʾ� �� ʾ�
�� ʾ�

Even if I stretch out my hand, even if I try calling out
I can't do anything, I can't do anything

Fragments, fragments, my broken heart
From my broken heart comes the taste of lemon
Why don't you love me (repeat)

Even if I approach you, even if I smile
You don't look at me, you don't look at me

So, so beautiful you
From beautiful you comes the taste of cherry shampoo
Why do you break my heart, why do you break my heart

She said it, that I was losing you
That I was burying you in the pieces of my broken heart
Why don't you love me (repeat)

Even if I look at you, even if I give you nice gifts
You don't know me, you don't know me

Fragments, fragments, my broken heart
From my broken heart comes the taste of lemon
Why don't you love me (repeat)

�� - hand
�� - word. �� ɴ� - To call out �� ɾ� �� - to try calling out
�ƹ��͵� - nothing
�� - fragment
�μ�� - to break something. �μ�� - to be broken
�� - heart
�� - candy
�� - taste �� - to taste like something (lit. taste comes out)
�� - why
�� ϴ� - to love
�� - side �翡 - to somebody's side
�ٰ�� - to go up to
�̼� - a smile. �̼Ҹ� �� - to smile/put on a smile. Usually the verb to smile is ��.
�ٶ󺸴� - to look (for a certain length of time)
�ʹ� - very
�Ƹ�� - beautiful.
�� - same as ��.
�� - that girl
�Ҵ� - to lose. �Ҿ� �� - to be losing (lit. to lose and go)
�� - to bury. �� - to be burying (lit. to bury and go)
�� - good
�� - present. �� ϴ� is to give a present.
�˴� - to know. �˾� �ִ� - to do someone a favour by knowing them, to know something for someone

�� о - even if I stretch out my hand... conjugating a verb and adding �� gives the meaning of 'even if'. This is the form used when asking permission. �� is a cigarette and �ǿ�� is to smoke, so ��踦 �ǿ�� ſ�? means do you mind if I smoke? (lit, even if I smoke, is it okay?) Okay is ��, or �ſ�. Not okay is �� or �� ſ�.
In this case however, she's not asking permission, she's showing how sad she is by the fact that she's making all these efforts and the guy isn't giving her the time of day.

�μ�� - My broken heart is... notice the word order here. 'The broken my heart". It's possible to write it as �� μ�� as well if you wish.

�� ɾ� �� - Conjugating a verb and adding the verb ��, to see, gives the meaning of trying something.

�Ծ� �� means "try (eating) it!"

�� means "say something!"

�� means "try drinking a bit (of this)."

�� ʾ� - simple negative.

�� ʾ� - not eat

�ƴ�, �� ʾ� - No, I don't hate (it).

�� Ҿ� �� ִٰ� - That I'm losing you. Putting �� after the �� at the end of a verb quotes the entire section that comes before the ��.

�� ָ� ��̴� - I drank beer.

ģ�� ߾� - My friend spoke.

ģ�� ָ� ��̴ٰ� ��߾� - My friend said that I drank beer.

Sentences can also be ended with this ��.

�� ָ� �� ̴ٰ�?! (He said) that you didn't drink beer?!

------------------

I have made the English translations to the songs somewhat awkward on purpose if it serves the purpose of explaining the grammar.

This should be enough to give an idea of what the book would look like. The address of my website is ********** and my phone number is **********, though I will be in Japan Tuesday and Wednesday and won't be able to answer the phone then.

Thank you very much for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Wow,

Hangul ��Ź̤ˤ� showed up on this computer! i have no response mithridates... but are you a genius?

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

Pro-tip: Spend some cash and hire a Korean who speaks fluent English to fix your Korean. Much of it comes across ranging from awkward to borderline retarded. Especially if you are going to run with the claim that you are fluent in Korean.

Though if you really want to run with the ball (as many, many foreigners have hawked their own books and most never getting published), why not self-publish? You could easily do a small run for cheap and see what sort of sales you generate.

From what I've read of the book industry in Korea, most books either come from established companies that do English books in-house, or they are teachers from higher-end schools that have to write their own books for classes, and then turn around and sell the books outside the school.

goodfella · Joined: 10 Feb 2004

the songs suck, sorry!

Snatch · Joined: 01 Jan 2004

Don't know enough Korean to recommend his proposal, but his lessons on his website is great. Taught me lots of the little twists that the Korean language is infested with.

Maybe just some honest opinions from others, but he should be able to rework it into a very usefull text.

Don't stop.

Gollum · Joined: 04 Sep 2003 Location: Japan

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

Good luck.

My tip for a good book here is interactivity.

The problem is most books here are about as dry and boring as the sahara desert. Just page on page of grammar notes which discourage me from studying. I need picture examples and internet/Tv back up to keep me interested(I'm like a child Smile

) but that is just me.

Gord gave a good pro tip but I have a better one:
Don't forget you have to make learning fun.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Throw in my two cents.

This style is akin to grammar translation which is one of the least effective ways (although deceptive in its ineffectiveness) of learning a language.

Having said that, there is a small portion of the population that can learn this way and, because it's deceptive, there's a large portion of the population that think they can learn this way.

Package it up and market it towards logical/analytical thinkers and you've got something.

mithridates · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 1:04 am Post subject:

I was away for two days and wasn't able to answer until now...
Gord, are you talking about the song? I didn't write it; those are the lyrics from a Korean band.
I like that point about interactivity, but only as long as it's portable; nobody likes to sit in front of a computer all day, it's draining.

If anyone's interested in putting down my Korean, here's something I *really* wrote:

http://news.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200403/h2004031417003823980.htm

[�ѱ��鼭] ��Ų�� Ų�̰� ��

��̺�� Ŭ��
ĳ��

�� ա�� ۰�� Ų�� 1892�� ī��ȭ�� ¾ �� ڶ��.

�� ǰ�� 󼼰�� ϱ� �� ۵�� ӵǾ�� 1973�� , �ι�, �� , �� 屸�� ڷᰡ ��û��ٰ� �Ѵ�. �� ա�� Ų�� ϳ�� ̾߱��⺸�� Ų�� Ϻθ� �� ȭ�� Ȯ�� ̴�.

1�� Ͼ�� Ų�� ٸ� ��̵�� Բ� ��ͷ� ��. �λ�� Ծ� �� ƿ� �� ־�� Ҵ�� ϱ�� Ҿ�� ְ� �� ա�� ̴�.

�� ΰ�� ϵ�� ϴ� �� ︸�� ƴϴ�. �� װ� ��ư� ��ſ� �� ñ� �� ī�� ¾�� �� ? �� , �� ص�� 15.3%�� Ұ��Ƿ� ��ڰ� �Ǳ��Ŀ�� ޱ⵵ �� ̴�. �׳� �� Ư�� ä ª�� λ� (��ռ�� 42.2��)�� 𸥴�.

�̷�� پ �� 鼭 �� ϴ� �͵� �� ɰ�� ⺻�� ǽ��ָ� �� ϰ� ��Ŀ�� Ȳ�̴�. 21��⿡�� ̷� �� ϴ� �� ó�� ϱ� ��. �ѱ�� 20�� ߹ݱ�� ǽ��ַ� ��޴� �� ټ�� Ǿ��.

�ڱ� �� ϴ�� �� θ�� ٸ��. �� ϰ� �䱸�ص� �ҿ��, ��ΰ� �� ο�� ׷�� ϵ�� ص� �ҿ��. �� ǳ��ο� �� ζ�� ǵ�� ϴ� �ͺ��, �� ̶�� ְ� ��ȸ�� ְ� �� ְ� �� ִ� �� å��̴�.

��谡 �̷�� ȴٸ� ��Ų �� پ �� ¾�� ִ�. �� ⿡�� ̰�� ̰�, �� ñ�� ǥ��.

/�� 巯��

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

You know I was thinking of this book idea last night...

Why don't they have more "books on tape" that are in different levels and in KOREAN???

mithridates · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 1:30 am Post subject:

I do intend to do that (proofreading) as well as make quite a few more, though the few hundred dollars won't be necessary... Wink

I remember looking for Korean books on tape the first time I came over here and the only ones I could find were fairy tales and big children's picture books; the lack of selection was quite disappointing. Just as no native English speakers whip out a TOEFL text to read in their armchair at night, a Korean textbook with manufactured sentences is only going to be interesting up to mid-level, hence the songs.