Korean Job Discussion Forums

peppermint · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 1:57 am Post subject: Konglish wanted is. . .

Okay, we've all heard it, and most of us have used it at one time or another . . . I want the really unusual Konglish expressions that you've heard. My two favorites at the moment are:

Countrytique: Country style, definitely not a good thing. . .

Cut the film: Blacked out, as in "Oh Gawd, I cut the film last night after that last bottle of soju."

As funny as it is, I'm not looking for broken English. I want the sort of common words or phrases that are English ( or English-like), but that Koreans have put their own twist on.

Edit: one time for clarity

Seoultrader · Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Location: Ali's Insurgent Inn, Fallujah

kiwiboy_nz_99 · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Location: ...Enlightenment...

circle = a uni club of some sort. they have fancy names, like the drama club or what have you, but they are mainly drinking groups ...

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

"My mind is bad" meaning "I'm unhappy"(or "my mind is good" for "I'm happy"). I can kind of see how the word "mind" could stand in for "feelings", but I can't figure out why this error is so widespread, at least among people I encounter. I live in Gwangju, does anyone hear this elsewhere?

kiwiboy_nz_99 · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Location: ...Enlightenment...

OTOH ... I think this is because the word that gives them "mind" in the dictionary does actually carry more emotion/feeling aspects to it in Korean ...

I often hear "I love my b/f, but I don't know his true mind"

how about "kick" ... she kicked me ... meaning dumped me

JackSarang · Joined: 28 Jan 2003

Ghostinthemachine · Joined: 22 Jun 2003

I keep hearing "I have a promise" meaning an arrangement to meet someone.

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England

I hear koreans say "same same," rather than just say the word same once. They even use this when speaking in Korean when the Korean word for same (gateun) would have done just as nicely. Another one I hear is "nice mask," when paying a compliement about your face.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

apparently "so-so" means OK, average, stop asking me questions, I don't know, and a host of other things.

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

I also hear, on an almost daily basis, "okay" used to mean "yes" when answering a factual question.

Me: Have you ever been to Seoul?

Korean: Okay.

As far as I know, "okay" is usually used to mean "yes" when agreeing to a request or a proposition, as in:

A: Could you help me move this table?

B: Okay(proceeds to assist A)

kiwiboy_nz_99 · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Location: ...Enlightenment...

peppermint · Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2003 2:08 am Post subject:

For me, since I've had students say "cut the film" in two different cities and heard it from various other Koreans too, it qualifies.

Someone told me that "hof" was a konglish word too, from German. Anyone know anything about that?

JackSarang · Joined: 28 Jan 2003

Konglish is english words Koreans use in everyday speech to each other.

Not when they're speaking english to foreigners and use mangled english. If a Korean is saying "I cut the film" to you in english, its because they're translating it for your benefit.

Koreans have a very bad habit of translating korean idioms directly into english and assuming the meaning translates with it.

It would be like translating "its raining cats and dogs" directly into Korean and expecting them to understand what you mean.

True Konglish are words like:

Italy Towel
Turkey Tang
White Day
Pangku (korean pronunciation of Puncture)
Gagman (comedian)
Eye-shopping (window shopping)
Autobis (scooter)
Villa
One Shot!
Bomb! (boiler maker)
Talent (actors)
Leports (leisure and sport activity combined)
Apart (apartment)
Bideo (video)

The list is endless...

And Hof is from german, it means courtyard or basically a place to eat/drink.

intergalactic · Joined: 19 May 2003 Location: Brisbane

How about "o'er bai" (overbite?) for vomiting
"oh lie oh lie!" (alright alright) when reversing a vehicle
"oneroom" for a studio apartment
"Shirch" for a shirt
"training" for a tracksuit
My inlaws pepper their conversation with english words so I never know which ones are real konglish and which are for my benifit
"Pack-up hae!" when we're supposed to be packing.

JackSarang · Joined: 28 Jan 2003

Oh, I forgot my favorite..

"Panty".. means simply underwear, gender neutral. Men wear panti. I think it was someone on this board who said a korean man complimented his "panties" at the gym.