Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chaz47]

I'm trying to highlight frequently used slang this semester. The reason being that many times when I meet a Korean who speaks English they seem so awkward. I think perhaps it has a lot to do with their inability to use colloquial English effectively. This a no-brainer, but please give it a bit of your thought before you tear it apart.

Anyway, as we go through our standard lessons I try to highlight words like "cool", "wow", etc. as they occur in the lesson. I then coach them, as best as possible, in using them in a semi-authentic manner.

I don't derail the lesson into street jive or valley girl. I just try to show them that if they interject a "wow" or a "cool" in the right place instead of a monosyllabic grunt ( vets know what I mean ), the speaker in the conversation will WANT to talk to them rather than feel they are being suckered into a free English lesson.

So, any other high frequency slang suggestions?

[John_ESL_White]

"hey man"

"what's up" instead of, "hi, how are you"

"what's going on"

what age range are you teaching?

"that sux"

"damn, that's too bad"

"what the!" without the F, just "what the!"

"what's he thinking!"

"give me a break"

try to teach the sarcastic tone...

[chaz47]

Mostly uni Freshman. Good suggestions, there. Thanks.

[laoshihao]

I use a lot of stuff from urbandictionary.com. I noticed that I pay a lot more attention to what my friends say so I can include our slang in lessons. Then I look up on urban dictionary to see if there are other meanings to the words we normally use.

We use:
sweet, like "I just bought a sweet new motorcycle."
bangin', like "These tacos are bangin'!"
crazy, like "That's crazy expensive!"
"for real?" instead of "really?"
"You know what I'm sayin'?"
"It was a hot mess." same as "Things were messed up."

[the oak llama]

I like that...

teach them "these tacos are bangin'!" as a single interjection.

then they will know to use it to express surprise/enthusiasm.

A: South Korea is going to the world cup final!!!

B: These tacos are bangin'!!!

If they don't know how to high five properly you should spend some time on that as well

[danseonsaeng]

[MissMaggie]

[DrOctagon]

"A hot mess" "bangin" and "you know what I'm sayin'?" are typically used in African American English, by African Americans. A Korean using these phrases/words would just seem silly. Use words that are widely used, such as:

That's cool.
Oh yeah?
No way!
Are you serious?
That's crazy.
You're nuts.
Nice!
That's insane.

[Straphanger]

Ain't nobody uses bangin' except retards.

A word replace exercise:

"Man, I totally failed that test. The teacher didn't give us time to study!"
"Oh, that's _______"

f-d up.
d-k'd up.
for the s-t.
wack.
etc...

And just have them come up with an English word they find negative and tell them to replace it, then you tell them if it's right. Almost all American slang is transient and situational.

[ekul]

Pretty shoddy slang.

[Cerriowen]

Remember that slang expressions, while useful for immediate use, aren't great for long term use. I'd say they are useful to teach as a talking point and a way to get the students involved...

However slang changes depending on ... geography, race and age.

If I told my mom she's a Cracker, she'd say "like a fire cracker?"
If I told my friend from Australia, he'd say "you mean a buscuit?"
If I told my friends from the USA, the'd say "what, did you suddenly become black?"
If a korean said that to me, I'd laugh.

[hugekebab]

You should obtain a copy of Roger's Profanisaurus.

left-handed batsman euph. Someone who prefers his balls delivered from the pavilion end.

left-handed website euph. An internet website specialising in cyberscud, causing visitors to use the mouse with the left hand.

Leo Sayer rhym. slang All dayer. Bender; prolonged drinking spree; all day party.

lepidopterist n. Person who collects butterflies e.g. Val Doonican.

lettuce n. Female genitalia.

lever arches rhym. slang. Haemorroids. From lever arch files - Chalfonts.

lick out 1. v. That which is done by a small child to a bowl of cake mix. 2. v. That which is done by a mustachioed porn star to a haddock pastie.

lick-*beep* n. prop. One who has the gift of tongues. A cumulonimbulist.

lickalotopus n. Latin name for a tuppence licker (qv) of pre-historic reptilian proportions.

lid n. Bit above the brim (qv).

lils n. *beep*.

liquid laughter n. Puke.

Little Ben n. A small Big Ben (qv).

load 1. n. 1996 Metallica album. 2. n. Quantity of cock-hockle blown, chucked or shot at the point of orgasm. 3. n. That which is shed by a lorry driver, whilst wanking in a layby.

log NEW n, A stool or shit. As in, "*beep* I've just laid a steamy log, wouldn't go in there for a bit"

logging NEW v, The act of creating logs, to defecate.

log cabin See build a log cabin.

loon pipe n. Anus.

loose at the hilt adj. To have diarrhoea; crop spray (qv).

loose-lips adj. Affectionate description of a woman who has been cocked more times than Davy Crockett's rifle.

loose shunting v. A dog's marriage (qv) with a clown's pocket.

Lord of the Pies euph. A salad dodger (qv); a barge-arse (qv); a double sucker eg. Danny Baker.

lose your mess euph. Ejaculate; to shoot ones load (qv).

lotties n. Breasts.

love puff euph. Gentle, lady-like fanny burp.

love spuds euph. A root vegetable found in the shreddies (qv); knackers.

[Chris_Dixon]

Sweet as

[Daami]

You should be careful about teaching slang, cos it can be regionally specific.

Eg. "what's up" instead of, "hi, how are you" doesn't always 'jive' outside of N.Am.

When a Korean says that to me I'm more inclined to answer: "Nothing. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

If a Korean student greeted a N. Am'can with "Orright, mate?", that person may or may not think it sounds strange.

Which is not to say you SHOUDN'T teach it... just be sure to explain that the intent varies from place to place.

[Daami]

You should be careful about teaching slang, cos it can be regionally specific.

Eg. "what's up" instead of, "hi, how are you" doesn't always 'jive' outside of N.Am.

When a Korean says that to me I'm more inclined to answer: "Nothing. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

If a Korean student greeted a N. Am'can with "Orright, mate?", that person may or may not think it sounds strange.

Which is not to say you SHOUDN'T teach it... just be sure to explain that the intent varies from place to place.