Korean Job Discussion Forums

saint_moi · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2003 8:31 pm Post subject: Has anyone mastered Hangul yet?

I don't believe I've seen this topic discussed anywhere here. I'm just curious as to whether any of you have studied or are studying the Korean language? I've only been here about three months so I'm understandably still an elementary student. Due to a busy schedule my 'study' hours will somewhat less. Anyhow, I remain determined to master the language within a 2 year goal period. Anyone else a keen Hangeul student?

Zyzyfer · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2003 10:24 pm Post subject:

2 years? I've got a geeky friend who loves Korea and didn't even come close to mastering the language in 2 years. He knows a lot, and can carry on a pretty good conversation, but he's not that good.

That said, he's coming back this fall to study Korean.

makushi · Joined: 08 Jun 2003

I'm surprised Puppy Dog didn't jump you for this....hangul is not the language...it's the phonetic alphabet that Korean's use to write their language which is called hangkuk mal (spoken Korean), or hanguk o (Korean language)

kimcheeking · Guest

If you go throught the university programs offered by sogang or ewha it is possible to do it in two years. but you probably wont' be able to do that even with a university job. Most likely you will be able to take classes during university break at ewha or sogang and supplement with a tutor or hogwan classes during regular semester.

Having said that I have two friends who completed the programs in two years and both of them doing simultaneous interpretation on the side as well as conduct most of their personal life in Korean. My role-models, damn I wish I could find time & money together so that I could do those classes.

KK

saint_moi · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2003 11:31 pm Post subject:

Quite a skill you have there. Splitting hairs was your major right?
Yes, 한국 말, the Koraen language. Thanks, where would I be without that info.

kimcheeking · Guest

makushi · Joined: 08 Jun 2003

Cedar · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 12:52 am Post subject:

Well, I had Hangeul down in one afternoon, mastered after a couple of weeks... but I assume you meant Hangukuh or Hangukmal... the Korean language, not the alphabet.

No, seven years in Korea, I write for newspapers and magazines (in Korean), I conduct my life in Korean and I haven't mastered it yet. I think if I'd taken one of those courses at Sogang or Yonsei, though, that I'd be more profecient than I am now. I just studied on my own, and did it naturally.

** Humility is a virtue. Back in '97 I'd have said that how much I know now was "mastered" but I know now that I still have a ways to go!

waterbaby · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

Here's a recent discussion about learning Korean...

Learning the Korean Language

Here are topics about studying Korean...

Learning Korean

1. To Study Korean - where's the best?
2. Sogang Korean Course for Waygookin
3. Chosun University Korean Class
4. Korean Language Classes?
5. Does Jeju National Uni have Korean Classes for Foreigners?
6. Korean Language Resources

mithridates · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 3:32 am Post subject:

It took me 1 1/2 years to learn it but I had learned Japanese first. It took me Japanese 3 years to learn way back when I only spoke English so I assume it would take about the same length of time for a diligent student.
Here's an interesting paradox: when studying the language the sooner one comes to Korea the harder it is to learn. First thing one has to do is learn it well enough that daily life here is possible, and then come over. Otherwise it's all too easy to get friends who speak to you in English all the time which doesn't help...

makushi · Joined: 08 Jun 2003

beebay007 · Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Location: Gwacheon, South Korea

I have never been to Korea but I am planning to go there at around December this year. I have been studying Korean fairly casually with Korean friends here in Australia for about 2 years. I am not very capable when it comes to conversation, but I have been trying to study a lot of grammar and vocabulary etc.. I'm not sure how I will go with mastering the language when I spend 1 year in Korea, I'd like to get as proficient as I can. My Korean friends say my pronounciation is quite good, but I have trouble with listening when they speak so fast.. I guess its the same problem with Koreans learning English - they learn a lot of grammar and vocab and then travel to an English speaking country for a year or so to learn conversation etc..

FliptheCoin · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 7:27 pm Post subject:

I've been here for about 8 months, and although my Korean sentences aren't that great, I know quite a few words. I don't have a fat head about this either, because I know there are quite a few more words that I don't know.

This is just my perception on things, but when the Koreans kids learn English they can read and write English well, but have a more difficult time listening and speaking. My learning experience has been the opposite, I learn Korean from listening to my co-workers talking and shows on tv (Korean tv is great cause they write in hangul what the people are saying), and will then ask what certain expressions are. My kids are good too, although I encourage them to speak English as much as possible, often they just blurt out stuff in Korean. So inadvertently they are teaching me Korean.

How fast one is able to learn the Korean language depends a lot on how eager they are to learn, how dedicated (someitmes I find myself lacking in this area), and some people are just able to pick things up faster than others.

Definitely want to keep studying when I return home, but I'm just worried the iniative will wear off. Wondering too if I will be able to pick up a keyboard with hangul letters on it...