Korean Job Discussion Forums

tjpnz2000 · Joined: 20 May 2003 Location: Nagoya Japan

My 2 C,

I have a theory that disire of a population to speak English is inversly proportiate to the development level of the society.

To put it another way, If you come from a 3rd world hole then you are going to be very motivated to lean and speak English. If on the other hand you come from a developed country like Korea (I live in Japan and have visited Korea, Korean shop assitants are better than Japanese ones, in my experience) you are not so motivated because speaking and by extension learning English is not seen as the only way to escape poverty.

Of course this is not the sole reason for ability Vs inability. Other things come into play such as eduacation system, writing system (Europeans have an advantage), and other things.

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

Rapier you just ask loaded question. There are many reasons to why Koreans can not speak english.

Some of them are:

It is not their first language. Rapier can you speak French or Spanish? And if not why not! I lived in Canada and I saw French all over the place. There was French on TV, radio, books, store, boxes of Corn Flakes, law saying Canada is bilingual, forced to take French Class. And after all that I can not not say more then Bonjour and J'emapple (ya wrong spelling) Skippy.And then lets not forget people from California and Florida and the Spanish language.

English has only been a major learning priority in the last 10 - 15 years.

Motivation - no one can learn if they are not motivated. Most children are not very motivated to learning. Parents are motivated for there children to learn but language aquisition does not work that way.

General lack of skills. Me after being in Korea over a year I am still shitty at speaking Korean. Me and learning languages do not mix. I say a good portion of Korean and language learning do not mix.

No chance to use. A normal Korean would get a rare chance to speak to a foreigner and then we want to charge them 30,000 an hour.

They are just a few basic reasons to why korean can not speak english.

Rapier you can also ask a stupid question is "Why can't men cook". I mean there is food everywhere and resturants and cooking books and schools and TV shows. Give me a break! All the stuff you see for English are just trappings and advertising.

And while I am on a rant why should some people at resturants and stores need to know english (unless their business is part of the Tourist industry). Out of every all customers a place has you a foreigner would constitute less the 1 percent of 1 percent. If a store clerk can say Hello and Thank You - I am happy. I do get frustrated when I have a problem and they can not help me due to a language barrier but I do not get mad and say why do you not speak english that would be irrational.

I guess Rapier is frustrated with Korea and it people.

Skippy The Evil Twin Razz

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

tjpnz: I totally agree with your point. As in boxing, the poor guy will always fight harder than the millionaire title holder. ie, Rich westernised nations are spoilt. So long as you have a house, car and tv why bother to speak another language?
evil twin (Skippy) . I guess i am a little frustrated at my own lack of motivation to learn Korean- but also at Koreans inability with English. After all, they do spend years in a hagwon etc- all for nothing? I mean I learned 2 languages at school, for 2 years each, French and German. At the time I was like the average Korean kid, I couldn't see why I should have to learn an irrelevant language, I just wanted to hit the playground. However, i can tell you that I can still hold a basic conversation and make myself understood in both languages even after all this time..I know you'll have to take my word for it, but I've served drinks, given directions etc to them " je m'apelle rapier. Quest-ce- que tu viens chercher?"

Cedar · Posted: Wed May 28, 2003 2:39 am Post subject:

Why? Cause they study for the test, not for fluency.

jg · Joined: 27 May 2003

Rapier,

Thank you for welcoming me! And no, I am not someone else hiding behind a new alias. Its bizarre enough the way people re-invent themselves online, but to reinvent your reinvention - where does it all end...

If you are so unhappy in Korea, yet bound to it for some reason, perhaps learning a bit of the language is JUST the thing for you. Seriously! It would open up a universe of smiles and warmth, and it feels good indeed to add a bit of warmth to the small daily transactions. It might not be such a stretch to say that it humanizes you a bit in the eyes of people who only know foreigners through the media, and thats an ugly portrait quite often.

I speak Spanish, and I am drawing from my experiences in South America, and also in the states. Also, perhaps the kindness and patience many people would show you in helping you practice your Korean would perhaps humanize them in your eyes.

Good luck to you, Rapier! You seem unhappy, and certainly quitting the cancer sticks (bravo!) does that to a fella, but really, wouldn't you like to have more of the local environs at your disposal?

My post is way off topic, isn't it? Ahh well...

fena_kopek · Joined: 26 May 2003

it s not why cant koreans speak english - thats obvious , they are majorly ethnocentric and like to bleet on about their 'culture' ie KFC and getting drunk .

the point that stands out is 'why are they obssessed with EFL and all things English ?'

the answer is simple - power and the need for 'success' . Something they are obssesed that they dont have.

keep on running around the treadmill...the answer is over there on the mountain.

Pyongshin Sangja · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: I love baby!

Because they are waiting for China to get its act in order. English is already on the downslope here. Their textbooks tell them that China will be richer than the US by 2020. Heard it today from a 14 year old. A lot of them would be much happier learning Chinese, I am sure of it.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Textbooks say China will be richer than the states by 2020? Good lord! I know China is developing fast but that is a joke. OK. let's wait 17 years and then discuss it some more.

William Beckerson · Guest

fena_kopek · Joined: 26 May 2003

Korea do have to speak English . Thats where you are wrong. Why ? Because mommy and daddy told them so.

William Beckerson · Guest

For the 45 minutes of their day they have to go to the hagwon. The rest of the day they speak Korean.

In Korea.

Where the native language is Korean.

That everyone speaks.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Forrest, your excellency, sorry we're all so dumb and inferior on this forum. I think its time you went to teach at oxford or harvard and left us mere mortals alone...

Canadian Teacher · Joined: 22 Jan 2003

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Correct: I saw a guy at the bus stop clutching 2 hefty TOEIC books under his arm the other daywaiting for the bus..thus, i felt entitled to initiate some casual English conversation to stem boredom. He'd studied English 5 years but strained to understand" how are you doing" and "how much is the bus". Had to resort to pidgin english, then Konglish, then finally Korean.