Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wormholes101]

Basic poll. Can you read hangul? Understanding the meaning NOT REQUIRED.... just reading.
ĵ �� ���� �ڸ���?

I know and run into people that can't so I believe it's not that uncommon.
I guess this poll can never be truely representative but please say aye or nay anyway.

Before I came, it seemed natural that I should try. So, I studied about half an hour a day and learned it all in about a week. I'm somewhat perplexed by those who have been here beyond 6 months and can't read the Hangul.

[helly]

yep, no problem at all.

Tips for learning to read it quickly: Once you have the characters down but are still sounding it all out, here is what worked for me.

Standing at the bus-stop, watch the buses coming and try to read the destinations on the side (don't read the front cuz manyhave English now). At first, you may make out one destination (or only half) but after awhile, you'll get all. Try to speed read anything moving and you'll pick it up quick.

[Cthulhu]

I did a similar thing Helly, though looking outside the bus. As the bus went by I read the shop signs. Kept doing it faster and faster until I could read them all before the bus went by. Gave me a headache sometimes.

Not knowing how to read is a major impediment in Korea. It's so easy to do I can't even imagine not doing it unless you are here a very short time.

[Zyzyfer]

I can read everything, write some things, and can understand maybe 20% of what I read? I really need to crack open that Korean language book again...

[desultude]

I voted nay- yes.

Understanding is a different can of worms.

[matthews_world]

I've been here 1 year and can't read a lick of Hangul. I speak more than I read, but speaking ability is still quite basic.

I know maybe 2 letters of Hangul - 's' and 'm'.

[kangnamdragon]

[wormholes101]

[desultude]

Yeah (yes) I know, but I thought maybe there was some word play involved in the question. Don't we all love trick questions? Vote Yea or nay, either way you agree. Sounds a lot like voting in the U.S.


Wormhole101 asked:

[Son Deureo!]

Yes, I learned how within my first two weeks, using the guide from a phrase book. Good places to practice reading Korean for newbies are bar menus and tape cases at the video shop, because most of what's written in both places is English transliterated into Korean script.

For practicing reading for speed, another good idea is movie subtitles. Plus you pick up a lot of new vocabulary, including dirty words.

[desultude]

Wormhole101 said:

Understand this: �ٺ� ��!

Sorry, I am stuck with a borrowed operating system. I need the orginal software (gone with the person who loaned it to me) to add hangul. The above is what I get.

So I will assume this (�ٺ� ��) means something like you have infinite love and admiration for me. gee, thanks!

[wormholes101]

[kangnamdragon]

[Howard Roark]

I don't know how anyone could not take the time to learn Hangul. It takes so little effort and the reward is priceless. It makes life a little easier here, and anything that does that is worth an afternoon.

If you haven't learned Hangul, I strongly suggest you get started. You'll be glad you did when you can read menus and bus signs. And when the kids wirte "babo" on the board, you'll know why they're all laughing at you!

[camel96]

Yeah read. Understand what I read...mostly no.
It's probably the biggest area of learning Korean that has the biggest payback for the least input in that it only takes a couple of hours to pick up fairly basically and it makes your life here, getting around etc. significantly easier. That having been said I was here a year or something before I finally got around to learning it...