Korean Job Discussion Forums

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

I guess I am just feeling a bit moody, but I got the answer toa question I asked on here a few weeks ago today. It seems there is a slang term in Korean for American, thanks to some Korean gag man on TV. Instead of miguk, it is now being said as mikook, like the word kooky. I think it's because some foreigners don't pronounce miguk correctly. They say mikook. Thanks a lot. Darn! Even the guy I like has coworkers saying mikook, but I never say it that way. Rolling Eyes

He asked them..mikook??? then he said kkk.....nonono...it's miguk...People please say miguk, not mikook. I am not a kooky kook.

crusher_of_heads · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:36 am Post subject: Re: Give me a break!!!

blaseblasphemener · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:59 am Post subject:

Ya gotta love em!

sojourner1 · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:26 am Post subject:

Dang now I am being viewed as a kook? LOL Good joke. Smile

I can see how Migook and Mikook sound similiar and Koreans are actually pronouncing something between these two words.

It could be a pronunciation thing as the G and the K are interchangeable like the P and the B. Kimchee and gimchee. Gimhae and Kimhae. Pusan and Busan. The F and the P also are interchangeable as in Fatima hospital and Patima hospital though we never see Fusan city since it falls more towards the B. The J and CH also get interchanged as in Jinhae and Chinhae.

It appears to be a pronunciation thing as Korean language has a very different set of phonics rules which do not accurately fit into romanization though it's the best we have to translate Korean words. Romanized hangul is not totally phonetically accurate as it's just almost impossible to speak Korean correctly when English is your phonetic pronunciation rules for speaking. Same for Koreans speaking English as their phonetics are very different than ours.

weatherman · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: Korea

After you posted this question the first time, a few days after that I was listening the radio and I heard it: Mi-kook, and your value went up in my book.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

One of my friends was practicing his Korean on some girls at a party and they began laughing at the word "mikook." Maybe he reminded them of this comedian.

princess · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: soul of Asia

tiger fancini · Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Location: Testicles for Eyes

I suppose the next thing will be that a Kimbab changes to a Gimbop.

Beej · Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Location: Eungam Loop

But do Koreans understand the english meaning of kook? If not, no reason for them to really be laughing at this.

JamesFord · Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Location: my personal playground

I've never heard any foreigner pronounce it mikook.

So strangee.