Korean Job Discussion Forums

[skookum]

This morning I went to our local five-day market. In one section of the market (populated by older women with small spaces on the ground and little stock) I bought some items. Each one of the women here, when I finished my purchase and was ready to leave said "eolma-eyo" to me by way of farewell. Sounds like a conspiracy to me.....

I bought some purslane from one. I usta grow it in my garden back home, so I'm familiar with it - they do think it's odd the things I buy. She told me something in Korean which I took to be cooking directions or a recipe. I thought I heard the word "haemul" in there somewhere and anyway, I had just boughten some dried polack and so when I got home I put some of each in the pot along with a couple other ingredients and boiled it up into some Skookum Haejang-guk. Quite tasty as it turned out.

At any rate, eolma-eyo for now.......

[Swiss James]

you know what "eolma-eyo" means right?

[I_Am_Wrong]

and a "how much is it' to you too!

[wwidgirl]

are you sure that's what they were saying??

[I_Am_Wrong]

I bet the op got ripped off and the other adjummas were asking the seller how much.

[skookum]

Naw... there were about three in a row, right in the same area, who said "eolma-eyo". I hafta figure they had had it planned in advance..... For me, particularly? Or any foreigner...I may have been the only waygukin to buy anything from them that day (though I haven't gone a lot this summer.) This market is in Jeomchon, not a hotbed of alien activity. And the purslane was only 1000 won, for a massive bunch, not likely a ripoff. More than I ever got from my own garden at one time. It's in pretty good shape so far, hope it lasts a few days more - I only used about 20% or less in the soup. Anyone have any purslane recipes? I did have a tasty salad of the stuff as part of the panchan in a restaurant somewhere a week or two ago.

[the_beaver]

Dude, if they were asking you "�󸶿���?" they were wanting something from you and I'm thinking it's along the lines skookum ���ܸ� hair straightening.

[skookum]

Okay, now a month has passed and I have heard people in other places say the same thing by way of goodbye. So now I think that they are likely saying something slightly different (olma-eyo; ulna-eyeo; yulmu-haeyo)

But what could it be? This is the kind of question I ask Koreans all the time and they seldom can relate to the question at all.

And while we are at it - what is that they say when they call to you in a store or market. It sounds like "tittery kayo" or "jittery kayo." From the context it must mean something like "What do you want?" or "May I help you?" I haven't found it in dictionaries and Koreans I've asked don't seem to be able to tell me what people say to them 20 times as they walk through the shijang.

[Jeonnam Jinx]

Hmm... The only thing I can think of is that the ajummas would be saying "�߰���" (chal gayo) which is a less formal, although polite, "goodbye" although I may be off on this one.

In the shops, they are more than likely saying, "�� �帱����?" (muh delilgayo) which is politely asking "What would you like?"

Please, excuse the transliteration.

[Zenpickle]

[some waygug-in]

It sounds to me like you heard them right the first time, but you are misinterpreting the meaning.

I think they are trying to tell you what you should be asking.

They are saying olmayeyou ? But they are meaning


Do you want to know how much this is?

I could be wrong, and I'm sure someone will tell me so.

[Dispatched]

Depends if you're a man or a woman... if you're a woman maybe they think you're a *beep* and want to know your going rate. If you're a man maybe they're propositioning you and asking how much to be taken to the moon and back.

Just a thought.

[drgoo]

[skookum]