Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Homer]

[Ginormousaurus]

I was in Chois' Tacos in Shinchon the other day. I ordered my meal in Korean and the young guy working responded in English. He had a hard time doing so and seemed quite unsure of himself. I asked him (in Korean) why he responded in English when I had ordered in Korean. He told me that they are supposed to use English with all foreign customers.

Chois' gets a lot of foreign business so I can see why the owner requires this of his staff. I'm guessing that many places like McD's, Burger King and theaters in areas with high foreigner populations also ask this of their staff. It makes sense and is convenient for the customer. I think it would be hard to find any malice in their intent.

[The_Conservative]

[Privateer]

Homer perhaps the best way for you to resolve tomato's issues is to teach him Korean.

[tomato]

Thank you, Gino.
I'll remember your post.
The next time an employee on the line of duty Anglophones me,
I shall be careful not to assume that it was the employee's idea and not the employer's.
It was refreshing to see an informative post on this thread for a change.

Homer misunderstood my response to your earlier post, though.
I can't stand the sight of any Korean who has ever spoken English to me.
Once a Korean has spoken English to me, thereby telling what he really thinks of me, I don't even WANT to make friends with him.

A foreigner in the United States can associate with an American for years and years without that American ever once interrupting his foreign language experience.
Why can't we do the same here?

[Homer]

[Ed Provencher]

I've said to Koreans 한국말로 합시다 "Let's speak Korea" on a few occasions and they have continued to speak in English to me. That annoys me. Most Koreans will switch to speaking Korean when I ask, but if they really want to speak English, they will at the very least throw in an English word once in a while. That word is often a simple Korean word that doesn't need to be translated into English for me, but I suppose they can't resist.

When I go to any other non-English speaking country, I want to be approached by English speakers and appreciate it when they do. I see Koreans who speak English to me as wanting to accomodate me, but when I can handle myself in Korean and specifically ask to be spoken to in Korean, I'm a little offended if they don't.

I also think it looks pretty silly when I, the foreigner, is speaking Korean, and the Korean is speaking in English in a whole conversation. It's like a battle of the foreign language wits. In these situations, I take pride in the fact that the Korean understands my Korean and responds appropriately to my comments.

As time goes by, my Korean is getting better and better which is making it harder and harder for average Koreans to communicate with me in English at the level I can communicate with them in Korean. In the end, fluency in Korean is the best defense against being spoken to in English.

My suggestion to people learning Korean in Korea is to do your best to put yourself in situations where the people you are interacting with don't speak a lick of English and to be patient with your skills since at some point you will speak better Korean than most Koreans can speak English.

Also, learn how to say "Let's speak Korean" or "I'm learning Korean, so can we speak Korean?". These requests will go over better if you actually have the skills to back them up.

Speaking Korean is worth the effort to learn how. Take the long view, work hard, and have fun. Good luck.

[tomato]

Hello, Ed!

And thank you for the bump!

[newyork10005]

What's the big deal?
If you want to speak in Korean, just say 저 한국말 할 수 있어요.

and the reason why most Koreans try to talk to you in English is because English is the dominant global language. Korea is not a melting pot like the United States. Korean population is about 48 millions, and there are only 1 millions of foreigners residing in Korea. You don't see a lot of foreigners speaking Korean.

[tomato]

The other person has told me once what he really thinks of me, and once is enough.
If a male chauvinist says "Hey, baby, what's happening!" and pinches a woman in the 엉덩이, I suppose the woman should ask the male chauvinist very nicely not to call her baby, not to pinch her in the 엉덩이, and forgive him if he promises not to reoffend.
If a white racist says "Hey, you ugly nigger!" I suppose the black person should ask the white racist very nicely not to call him an ugly nigger, and forgive him if he promises not to reoffend.
I think those are matters which should go without explanation.

[Smee]

I agree with tomato's comments throughout this thread.

Granted, many teachers don't speak Korean, and far too many just walk around speaking English to everyone, but for those of us who can use a little of Korean, it's frustrating to get the baby-talk English. Incomprehensible English does not facilitate comprehension or understanding, so when some Koreans insist on using it, it can be a conversation killer. I use Korean with every Korean I meet, and most oblige with Korean in return.

[tomato]

I appreciate your support, but don't say it too loudly.
Otherwise, you will get hate mail like this:

▶ "They're just trying to be nice to you. Don't you appreciate people trying to be nice to you?"
▶ "You must be fluent in Korean. Otherwise you don't have any right to ask the Korean to speak Korean."
▶ "You're asking too much of the Koreans' time. They're too busy to waste time on a slimebucket like you."
▶ "You came to Korea to teach English, so you don't have any right to ask Koreans to speak to you in Korean."
▶ "You have a nice apartment and a nice job and the plantation slaves didn't. That means that the plantation slaves had a legitimate grievance and you don't."
▶ "Most foreigners don't speak Korean, and that somehow gives Koreans the right to assume that you don't either."
▶ "It's part of their culture to treat foreigners like morons. Don't you have any respect for their culture?"
▶ "You're outnumbered because most other foreigners like being treated like babies. So you might as well give up."
▶ "We're in their country, this country belongs to them, so they have the right to kick and slap us any way they darn please."
▶ "They want to practice their English on you. Don't be so selfish!"
▶ "You are selfish by wanting to practice your Korean on them."
▶ "English is the world language. That means that everyone else has the right to travel anywhere they want to and enjoy a second language experience, but we don't."
▶ "You must be really conceited to think that your interest in Korean any more important than the other person's interest in English."
▶ "You're crazy!" "You're paranoid!" "You have a chip on your shoulder!"

Are you sure you feel strongly enough to take all this?
If you don't, and you decide to delete your message, I will understand.

[Smee]

Heh, no, I'm a big boy and will take any objections thrown my way.

[tomato]

[tomato]