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Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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fusionbarnone
Joined: 31 May 2004
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 Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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Don't Mormons straight off their missions get offered those, "company" (jargon amassed from movies)jobs, because they sprakhen the local lingo?
Darpa trialed translation devices(supposedly still one-way capable) during both mid-east conflicts. Imagine a future pocket-sized gadget enabling one to speak any language. A japanese guy communicates with us(and we with him) face-to-face through his computer. We live in amazing times, "beam me up Scotty."
I intend to enter politics someday(once my fortune has been secured) thus, possessing a working knowledge of major trading countries cultures and languages is a must do. Besides, language learning has got to be the best way to keep the brain in great shape.
I'm living in China currently where everyone wants to know your business(including western waygooks) therefore, speaking in hangul (with my fiancee) has proven to be really reassuring at times.
I hope to eat many dinners and quaff much gratis soju many moons from now. Hangulmal is not defunct outside the ROK. |
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Bo Peabody
Joined: 25 Aug 2005
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| Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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I intend to enter politics someday(once my fortune has been secured) thus, possessing a working knowledge of major trading countries cultures and languages is a must do. Besides, language learning has got to be the best way to keep the brain in great shape.
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Fusionbarnone, I say this out of great respect, you always sound like a James Bond villain. |
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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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| Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, language learning and learning a musical instrument are right up there for things that keep the brain in shape. The more extensive one's neural connections are, the better chance of quick recovery after a stroke too, that sort of thing. Going a whole day without learning something new is playing with fire. |
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brachy
Joined: 01 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Qinella asked Brachy why Brachy has this opinion. Qinella didn't say that Brachy wasn't entitled to it. |
Brachy thinks Quinella needs to get laid, or get the panties out of the bunch.
My opinion: trevorcollins took the words right out of my mouth. Smartest post on here in years. |
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peony
Joined: 30 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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| if you ever want to work in the fashion/garment/textile industry, knowing how to speak korean is an asset. not only does korea export a significant quantity of fabrics, trims and clothing, they also own a lot of garment/trim factories worldwide and although they speak fluently in the language of the country they are in <ie. spanish, chinese etc.> a lot of times, their spoken english isnt that great so knowing how to speak korean with them helps a lot |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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| brachy wrote: |
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| Qinella asked Brachy why Brachy has this opinion. Qinella didn't say that Brachy wasn't entitled to it. |
Brachy thinks Quinella needs to get laid, or get the panties out of the bunch.
My opinion: trevorcollins took the words right out of my mouth. Smartest post on here in years. |
Yeah, Mithridates's medically documented opinion about warding off strokes was pretty stupid, I thought, especially compared to trevor's drunken ramblings.
Okay, thanks for sharing!
I'm off to get my panties out of a bunch and drool in front of the TV.  |
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Apple Scruff
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 6:48 am Post subject: |
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| Time spent learning Korean is valuable time that could be spent hitting on the English-speaking K-womens. I have no desire to communicate with a girl in whiny, soul-murdering Korean. And talking to the dudes is completely pointless. They don't even have vaginas. |
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trevorcollins
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:04 am Post subject: |
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| peony wrote: |
| if you ever want to work in the fashion/garment/textile industry, knowing how to speak korean is an asset. not only does korea export a significant quantity of fabrics, trims and clothing, they also own a lot of garment/trim factories worldwide and although they speak fluently in the language of the country they are in <ie. spanish, chinese etc.> a lot of times, their spoken english isnt that great so knowing how to speak korean with them helps a lot |
okay, so assuming as brachy wrote I have nothing to do with koreans outside this place, therefore no need to learn hun gook mal based on that, why do you think I'd want to learn it to make a living out of importing hideous pee stained adjoshi pants, lime green chick's t-shirts with slogans like "Meet Right?" and a horde of sun visor monstrosities...?
You guys are gonna have to do better than that. The warding off strokes thing is really clutching at being a valid reason for me to devote time that could otherwise be used to learn an economically and employment viable language option.
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:17 am Post subject: |
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| trevorcollins wrote: |
You guys are gonna have to do better than that. The warding off strokes thing is really clutching at being a valid reason for me to devote time that could otherwise be used to learn an economically and employment viable language option.
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Such as? And have you learned it/them?
Also, I will point out yet again that the OP question was asked within the context of living in Korea. For people living in Korea, how is Korean a useless language to learn? The fact that no one has offered and answer for this question leads me to assume Korean isn't a useless language for people living in Korea.
And I don't want to hear the "it takes too much time" complaint. That's fallacious and absurd. These days, my main form of study is conversation and keeping a dictionary handy. Wow, that really takes a lot of effort. Suppose that it did require 30-60 minutes of study a day. Is that really such a sacrifice?
What about my analogies to learning art and music? What about everything else you do that doesn't earn a profit?
Skeptical minds want to know. |
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trevorcollins
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:42 am Post subject: |
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| Qinella wrote: |
| Such as? And have you learned it/them? |
Yes. I can speak fluent Indonesian. And passable Mandarin.
For the country I come from and the employment future I hope for, both are invaluable. Korean is up there with well.....sanskrit....or caveman style grunting.
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| Also, I will point out yet again that the OP question was asked within the context of living in Korea. For people living in Korea, how is Korean a useless language to learn? |
At last count I've been in Korea close to 1200 days. And there's never been one single instance where I've not been able to communicate what I've needed, or the natives haven't been able to know my language. Christ, with one of the highest english language budgets in the world they damn well better understand when I ask their name. I've been able to devote time that could otherwise been spent looking at a book going "Errh Errh Errh" like a freaking spastic to more enjoyable pursuits (like having sex).
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What about my analogies to learning art and music? What about everything else you do that doesn't earn a profit?
Skeptical minds want to know. |
I play guitar, bass guitar, clarinet and drums. Is there anything else you'd like to know? My favorite color perhaps..? |
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keithinkorea
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
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| Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 10:26 am Post subject: |
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I play guitar, bass guitar, clarinet and drums. Is there anything else you'd like to know? My favorite color perhaps..? |
Why do you play the clarinet? that's a pretty crap instrument. I'd be more impressed if you played the sax or the keys  Also why cant you spell 'colour' properly
Learning at least basic Korean keeps you sane. Korea can be damn frustrating and when you can sort out some stuff here on your own without having to 'hold hands' with a Korean it's a real stress reliever. It's nice to go into the local market and just be able to ask them 'Where do you keep the black pepper?' Koreans appreciate it and it does pay, I often get foreigner discounts at my local markets because I ask nicely in Korean. The Koreans are warmer to me and give me service even though my Korean is bloody awful.
I'm not talking about mastering the language at the highest level, that's hard to do in any language, even for native speakers. Communication is important and even by going through the basics of a language it can be really helpful. Here is an example:
Last year I got bumped of my London-Amsterdam-Seoul flight by those scumbags at KLM  Eventually got offered -after a lot of waiting around- a London-Schipol-Shanghai- flight and a little compensation. Anyway after arriving in Shanghai one of my fellow bumpees helped everyone out with his basic but useful knowledge of Mandarin Chinese, if it hadn't been for that guy we'd have had an even worse time as the English of the people in Shanghai was terrible and they didn't have a clue what to do about us till an old cool guy started talking to them in Chinese, everything went smoothly from then on. The fellow bumpee was as cool as a cucumber and sorted out everything. I also got to learn a little Korean from a really nice family who spoke great English and teach a little Korean to a Canadian academic who was going to Jeju for a conference on ESL his speciality was CALL which he was working on through a Swedish Uni.
The Korean family were really nice to me after hearing the basic survival mini lesson to the Canadian guy. The whole 'bumpee' group went through a hell of a time but we all helped each other out in one way or another, and some of it was through language 'gifts' to each other.
I have a hard time learning Korean, I'm a much better teacher than student. But it has enriched my life and made it a lot easier to live over here. I plan to persevere and get good at speaking it.
Mith is spot on when he says that a day without learning is a wasted day. I try and learn a bit and get better at something everyday. |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 10:33 am Post subject: |
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| trevorcollins wrote: |
Yes. I can speak fluent Indonesian. And passable Mandarin.
For the country I come from and the employment future I hope for, both are invaluable. Korean is up there with well.....sanskrit....or caveman style grunting. |
I see. So, Indonesian is highly useful?
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| At last count I've been in Korea close to 1200 days. And there's never been one single instance where I've not been able to communicate what I've needed, or the natives haven't been able to know my language. Christ, with one of the highest english language budgets in the world they damn well better understand when I ask their name. I've been able to devote time that could otherwise been spent looking at a book going "Errh Errh Errh" like a freaking spastic to more enjoyable pursuits (like having sex). |
Enjoyable was never the issue. I find Korean enjoyable. The issue has been "usefulness while living in Korea."
So, you've never had to speak Korean once. I've experienced the exact opposite. Where I live, not a single person I encounter speaks ANY English at all, beyond the frivolties that everyone knows. Every day I use Korean, even though I don't know much yet.
May I go out on a limb and guess that you live in Seoul? Is that correct?
Westerners in Seoul are spoiled. I go there and Korean jaws drop when I reflexively communicate in Korean. They're so used to westerners being inept at the amazingly simple language, perhaps.
Let me ask you this question: if you didn't speak English, how useful would Korean be to you in Korea? I'm really curious how long it will take you to rank charades above the Korean language.
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What about my analogies to learning art and music? What about everything else you do that doesn't earn a profit?
Skeptical minds want to know. |
I play guitar, bass guitar, clarinet and drums. Is there anything else you'd like to know? My favorite color perhaps..? |
Or perhaps you could address the point of the analogy, which is critical analysis of the assessment of "usefuless" in a pursuit. You've stated that speaking Korean in Korea isn't useful. Your reasons are that everyone speaks your language, but nonetheless... When you studied bass guitar, clarinet, drums, and guitar, did you consider how "useful" it would be, or did you simply assume their inherent usefulness? |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 6:34 pm Post subject: Re: Korean is a useless language. |
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| Qinella wrote: |
This is a comment Brachy posted in another thread. I didn't want to derail the thread, so I thought I'd make a new one to request clarity on this opinion.
It's my opinion that, if you are living in Korea, the Korean language is extremely useful. It's the polar opposite of useless. Just like if you were living in France, French would be useful.
But, perhaps there's some logic behind this seemingly byeongshin statement. I'm all ears! How is Korean a useless language, especially for people living in Korea, and which languages are not useless?
Cheers,
Q~ |
Are you alluding to the fact English is a useful language because you can use it around the world? Do you know what is 'unilingual pride'? |
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plokiju
Joined: 15 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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Korean would be a highly useful language to learn while in Korea but given that most people are only here for one year it doesn't make that much sense to go beyond the basics. I enrolled in some classes but I was just too exhausted after teaching all my classes to put any time into studying Korean. My loss really.
That said however learning Danish has to be so much more useless than Korean. I spent a year there and didn't meet a single person who didn't speak English. Wasn't useful to learn but I had fun doing it. |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2005 12:25 am Post subject: |
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| plokiju wrote: |
| Korean would be a highly useful language to learn while in Korea but given that most people are only here for one year |
Yeah everyone is only going to be here for one year.. then one more year.. then one last year.. then one for the road.. then you've been here quite a few years and barely speak 5 words of the local language..
I'm glad I can speak korean if for no other reason that is differentiates me from alot of the mental midgets dragging their knuckles around this country |
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