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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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 Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
| English is mandatory for all Koreans. They get ten years of it in the public school system, then more in university. How many of those can speak it reasonably well? Not that many. (And if they can, that makes learning Korean not worth it.) Not everyone will be good at a language after 1,000 hours of study. Most won't. I guess you have a natural knack for languages, surpassed only by your wit. ur teh new urbanmyth lol. |
I wasn't going to respond, but since you called me out...it seems to me that you only see learning Korean as worth it in order to communicate with Korean others...and if they speak English well then it's not worth it. Ever consider the fact that this other person who speaks English may well feel the same way about Korean and you? ("you" in the generic sense)
Although yes I do agree it takes more than 1000 hours to be "good" if by good you mean TOPIK 5 or above. But if those 1000 hours were "serious" study then one should be able to hold their own at least in the rudiments of the language and be able to have a basic conversation in the language. I posted a link not long ago which grouped the difficulty of languages and the time spent to learn them. 1000 serious hours should produce some fluency (even if it's only basic) according to said link.
Anyway to address the OP. It depends on you and the length of time you intend to stay here (as said already above.) |
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chellovek
Joined: 29 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 8:24 am Post subject: |
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| Leon wrote: |
| Plain Meaning wrote: |
Laughing at the linked post which claimed learning Korean "isn't necessary or useful." In Korea, its certainly useful. Is it necessary? Only by a quirk of the Korean education system is it a shade less than necessary.
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| Mandarin in particular is a huge one and if you use your time abroad in China to become fluent, well, your future might be paved in silk. |
It is incredibly difficult to become fluent in Mandarin. If you learn Mandarin, you'll be able to compete against the scores of Chinese in your home country who will be able to speak it and write it better than you. Mandarin is useful and necessary in China, but its not a skill that will "pave your future in silk" unless you're also in a high level of your profession. |
This is very true. Too many people speak Chinese for it to be valuable on its own in most cases. It is a very valuable addition to other skills, but I do not think you can get by on just Chinese. My Korean skills have been key in my career after Korea, but I can see how that would not be the case for most people. |
Dat and sum mad player skillz  |
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