Korean Job Discussion Forums

[KYC]

So, Koreans use this a LOT. I told my students not to say "I'm so-so." Instead, I taught them "I'm fine, I'm o.k., I'm alright..."

My coteacher reinforced this and reminded them several times.

We only co-teach 2 of the 4 periods, so she uses indischool for other materials. On indischools, she says there are lots of materials that indicates so so is correct or acceptable. I've even heard recordings of native speakers saying "I'm so-so" and "How is the japchae? It's so-so"

Am I right to think it's not correct and shouldn't be used??? She's asking why..and I just told her it's not commonly used....anyone have a better explanation?? Thanks!

[cruisemonkey]

Just because it's not common doesn't make it incorrect. Where I'm from, native English speakers occasionally use "I�m so-so." to mean 'not bad' and 'not good'... somewhere in the middle.

[Goku]

I believe so-so has a different connotation from other words like fine or ok.

So-So I tend to believe is more like, "Something good and something bad" but usually on a more upbeat note than fine and more going on in their life.

For example, someone tells me they are fine. In my mind I think "This guy is just living a regular schedule day by day and nothing happening in his life."

Or if someone tells me so-so I think "this guy has SOMETHING going on, but they are balancing each other out."

It's just the connotation I get, I don't know if others get it.

[mayorgc]

Yeah, I'm a little bit puzzled by the so-so thing. I almost never heard "so-so" when I was living back in Vancouver.

I played "how are you" bingo to introduce new responses, but they still use "so-so".

Just go with it I guess.

[lifeinkorea]

I think the point here is frequency and when to use a word as opposed to flat out using it or not. First, we have to look at how often to use a word. Like phrasal verbs for example. Adult students like to use these as if they are a part of everyday conversation when in fact you may not hear it every year or just a few times depending on how common it is. Another example is idioms.

In this case, "so so" doesn't really go with "How are you doing?" as much as it does "How is ___?". So, we have to steer the usage to reflect when to use it. A simple card game that mimics Scrabble with letters would illustrate this.

Another one Koreans like to use too often is "ok" when they should be saying "yes" ("Is this your pencil? Ok.")

Just because it's in a book doesn't mean they are using it in the appropriate context.

[some waygug-in]

They use so so because it's one of the easy ones to remember. It tends to be a lazy answer when students don't want to be bothered with trying to think of other responses.

I'm not sure what the best way to deal with it other than keep modeling alternative responses in proper contexts for them to see and hear.

Hopefully they will start to pick them up after a while.

[Kikomom]

It's like how the French would say 'comme ci, comme �a'.

[refikaM]

Native speakers occasionally use "so so".. just like they also say "fine thanks, and you?" and "nice to meet you" from time to time. However, they are the over-used "stock responses" that have been drilled into them since they first started learning English. They aren't wrong, but are annoying when heard over and over and over.. When I hear these responses, I tell them to give me another response.. after modeling a few alternatives.. Then, just keep drilling those alternatives into them.. After a while, they catch on.. It's all you can do.. and it works for the most part..

[JJJ]

I use "I'm so-so" quite often actually and teach it as well. Personally, I like anything other than the standard "I'm fine." or "I'm fine thank you and you."

[VanIslander]

None of my students use "fine, thank you" as I say "YOU'RE A ROBOT!" or tell them I'm not a president or king, it's too formal.

If they use "so-so" I'm on their case with a "What's wrong?" as they learn it means "a little good, a little bad" and I want to know what's wrong, persistent until they say why or change their answer.

I draw a continuum on the board. Double plus (huge grin drawn) exclamation point:

Perfect!
Wonderful!
Great!

which we practice with feeling, then a line and a single plus (basic smile drawn) with:

Very Good.
Pretty Good.
Good.
Alright.
Not Bad.

then a line and a minus sign (sad face drawn) with:

So-So.
Not So Good.
Bad.
Very Bad.
Awful.

I teach them the "How is/are _____ ?" with this continuum and apply it generally. How is school, your family, gimchi, kiwis, the color yellow, the movie, etc (if they say happy, tired and the like then i draw a vertical line on the board and introduce the question 'how are you feeling?' as a different question but one one could mix together with 'how are you' answering ont he continuum as with anything else or else on the feeling side with feelings)

I give them real life scenarios and ask them what they would say in that situation (e.g., you get an A on a test but have a stomachache. How are you? they guess 'so-so')

The next class i then do a quick 2-minute review exercise by having them break into pairs and put a mixed up set of cards (one has written 'Perfect!', one 'Wonderful!' etc) in order of the continuum. It's a fun "game" that reinforces the lesson and shows if/where more review examples are needed.

I also don't let two students get away with saying the same thing (lazy habit to repeat what last student said, unless they add 'too' to the end). One student: "Great" the next "I'm great too." the third student has to change, to wonderful if really ! or to very good/pretty good if not so jubulant. They can say "So am I" as the third student (if they have had that lesson).

I ask every student how they are every class. Not in a robotic beginning of class way either. Some I say to when they walk in, others when I ask them questions, others before they go when I have a follow up thing to say. keeping it natural as much as possible in a classroom setting. they know the question is coming and what kind of answers to say, not say. They like to add ones they've learned elsewhere, just last week a student grinned and said "Impeccable!" to which I was dying to ask how he learned it but to keep the flow and naturalness going I just gave him wide eyes of being impressed and a big smile and nod, and moved on with things.

(note: no one can use "fine" in my class until they have had my special "fine" lesson. some older more advanced classes, especially middle schoolers, I'll sometimes add later a quick lesson on the useful variety of usages of "fine", showing how it can be used by a girl to reject an interested greeting by a boy she doesn't like on a bus or be used to state nothing when meeting someone and one doesn't want to tell them how they are really, or in quick passing, etc.)

so i have had no problem whatsoever with the overuse of 'so-so' with the students i've taught over the years, nor with misuse of 'fine, thank you'.

it's one of the easiest, smoothest, most enjoyable opening lessons with a new class, and also one of the most effective. i've used it with a public school elementary class (combined grades 3/4) of 45 students with equal effect.

go ahead, design a lesson around it. the extension of it can be real fun "How is my necktie today?" "How is your math teacher?" 'How is Lee Myung Bak?" "How is dangcho gimbap?" (you don't like spicy food? mock surprise when many say 'not so good' or 'bad') "How is bondeggi?" etc

[the foystein]

I once had a kid tell me he was "very so so". I found it funny.