Korean Job Discussion Forums

[whiteshoes]

So what level of Korean do you think you should be at before you put Korean as one of your languages known? I always kind of chuckle at the newbies who speak "Korean" as soon as they can order a beer. I've been holding out on adding Korean there, because I just don't think I'm anywhere near good enough to do it. I guess part is that I can "speak" some Korean, but to say I "know" it is a huge leap for me.

So, I repeat, what level of Korean would it take for you to put on Facebook that you "know" Korean?

[r122925]

I agree. It's silly. A lot of people seem to have an over-inflated sense of their Korean ability. Funny thing is that these are usually the same people that would get upset if they went to the bank or wherever and couldn't find anyone who spoke English.

At least facebook is relatively harmless. I've seen people who actually have the balls to write this kind of stuff on their resume/CV.

On the other hand, Koreans probably aren't helping any. Most Koreans seem to be shocked and amazed at even the most simple Korean phrases from foreigners.

If you want to ask when it's apropriate to add it to your facebook, I'd say whenever you become conversational, when you would feel comfortable having a conversation with someone on a variety of topics. What's the point of having it there if you couldn't talk to someone?

[Squire]

I've wondered this too. Probably basic conversation ability. I'd consider someone to be able to speak English if they can hold a conversation with me, even if it's not really a flowing conversation as such

I'm hoping in one more year to get to that stage. There's a lot of work to be done

[David Gerrington]

Let it never be said that Dave's doesn't tackle the really important issues.

[Squire]

[myenglishisno]

I've been studying intensively for years and I say "some Korean." I had a 22-year-old co-worker say she was fluent after being here for six months. I said "여기요!" to a taxi driver in front of her and she laughed at me and said it was pronounced "여 not 요" as that's what all of her textbooks said. I didn't even...

Anyway, on her Facebook is says she can speak Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French, German and English.

People are idiots.

[Squire]

[cheolsu]

I speak six languages with varying degrees of proficiency, but I list three on Facebook. My personal standard is whether I could have dinner with somebody in a particular language.

[duke of new york]

[UknowsI]

I wouldn't blame anyone for listing Korean as a known language as long as they can hold conversations in broken Korean. However, I don't really see the point in claiming to know many languages on Facebook. Personally I have only included my mother tongue and not even English.

[Chet Wautlands]

I like this topic. Though I can have everyday conversations in Korean, I don't consider myself a Korean speaker. I can't understand the news, I don't get subtleties, I often make simple grammar mistakes. So, do I speak Korean? I'd say I do a little, but not really.

French, on the other hand, I can understand very well. I watch TV shows in French, engage in fairly high level conversations, read novels, etc. I'd say I speak French, but I'm not fluent.

I think you can say you are fluent in a language when you don't find the new language any more difficult than your first language. The day I can understand the nuances of Korean poetry I'll consider myself fluent. If I keep studying, that'll be in another 30 years. Ha ha.