Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JMO]

Hi, I'm quickly translating my ARC card and whilst I know the general meaning for everything, I'd like a more specific breakdown of some aspects.

1: On the front of the card it says "회화 (E-2)". I know that 회화 doesn't literally mean visa. Can you tell me the exact meaning including whether it is an abbreviation or not.

2: 확인: 대전 (출). Im guessing this means:

Verification: Daejeon (?) . What does this part in brackets mean exactly and again is it an abbreviation. Thanks in advance.

[jvalmer]

1. 회화 (繪畵) means conversation, talk, converse...

2. in the brackets I believe is just the the abbreviation for immigration. Literally it means 'out' and it's part of a word, something like 출입국 관리 사무소, meaning something like In-Out-Country Administration Office, aka Immigration Office. The origins of the word come from Chinese (出入國 管理 事務所]), and they're just taking the first syllable. In this case they are indicating that you registered at the Daejeon immigration office.

In Korean, just taking a syllable of a few words, and putting them together creates a new altered meaning of the two words together. It's common in formal situations and slang. Try listening to some of your students. Even Koreans just out of school for a couple of years, have trouble grasping what the heck students are saying with these word combinations, because they probably made them up a few days ago.

[JMO]