Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tomato]

Hello, Ryleeys!

I have come across the request-that-they-speak-Korean line before, but I'm not satisfied with it. No one expects Black people to forgive anyone who stops calling them "n i g g e r" upon request. No one expects women to forgive anyone who stops calling them "baby" upon request. Why, then, should we be expected to forgive anyone who stops saying "Can I help you?" upon request?

[ryleeys]

Perhaps because "baby" and (I'm assuming this is the bleeped word) "n*gg*r" are generally accepted as offensive terms, while "Can I help you?" is generally accepted as a term used when offering friendly help to someone. Perhaps if someone requests you not call them an offensive term and you comply, they should forgive you.

I only think you should hold English against someone if they ask about the weather 5 times in 30 minutes... that's blatant.

I personally find being referred to as "way gook in" offensive. This isn't meant by Koreans to point out, "oh, he's from a different culture... that's cool." It's used as "he's different" and that's it. I dunno, hard to explain, but I definitely get angry when my students (who know I'm from America) refer to me as waygookin instead of Migookin.

Generally, the first time, I give a person the benefit of the doubt. I wait until the second time before I get angry.

[On the other hand]

[indytrucks]

[ryleeys]

I moved to Korea and now n*gg*r = Can I help you?


Wow...

[little mixed girl]

......

[ladyandthetramp]

I agree that I'm annoyed when Koreans start speaking to me in English or give me the English menu when I'm already reading the Korean one. Even if most White foreigners here don't speak Korean, I still feel they should give me the benefit of the doubt (since I do).

I had the same experience in France and Germany, and was likewise annoyed when people spoke to me in English upon learning my nationality. Usually, I spoke their language better. But I guess it's not just in Korea...

In my opinion, they should first give you the benefit of the doubt, speak in Korean, and switch to English when you don't speak Korean. In the U.S. I always speak English with foreigners unless otherwise requested. I figure they paid for the plane ticket and greatly changed their lives to go to my country and learn English, so why should I expect them to help me practice their language?

[ryleeys]

But they can't give the benefit of the doubt here... for if you can't communicate in the first language they try with you, then you lose face. That's why they try English first.

[Mashimaro]

After reading the earlier posts this occurred to me...

Koreans are supposedly so keen to learn english but how often do you see two koreans speaking to each other in English??

[jaebea]

About as often as you see two English speaking students of Japanese speaking Japanese to each other.. :)

Communication is the core of human interaction, and we usually like to take the path of least resistance to express ourselves.

Of course, this does nothing for the development of our language skills. :)

jae.

[Korea Newfie]

[seoulmon]

ABout Koreans talking to you in English....

I can't tell you how much this fustrates me. I'd gone through a lot of emotions on this issue: anger, fustration, hate...

I've said this many times but it bares repeating, Korea would be the PERFECT PALCE TO LIVE if you didn't want to learn Korean, and just bop around being a foreigner the whole time.

But if you are really interesting in understanding and living in Korean in a meaningful way, then you need to learn Korean. Otherwise your always going to be a little kid who needs help crossing the street.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

Koreans are indeed profoundly prejudiced, but speaking to you in English is not the proof of that.

And that's that

[Gord]

[tomato]