|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
|
 Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:10 am Post subject: JoongAngDaily's bizarre English Clinic Bilingual Column |
 |
|
I'm sure that many of you have students that use Korean English language newspapers to help them learn English-ee. The JoongAngDaily has an "English Clinic Bilingual Column" and the topics and content are often bizarre. The writers also tend to add anti-USA political content and go off on other tangents. Yes, kids are using THIS kind of writing to learn English-ee. 
This is one of their goofier topics for "discussion", from today's edition.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2904213
| Quote: |
Lopping off a eunuch�s power
Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty who toppled the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty, was always worried that eunuchs would have too much power and political influence. He ordered signs to be hung in major public offices that read, �Eunuchs are prohibited from engaging in state affairs and those who violate this rule shall be executed.� He believed that one of the reasons why prosperous past dynasties such as the Tang ultimately collapsed was that eunuchs interfered in politics, causing confusion in state affairs. Zhu even prohibited them from learning how to read and write.
Despite the emperor�s concerns and efforts, meddling in state affairs by eunuchs led to the collapse of the Ming Dynasty. Toward the dynasty�s latter days, wicked eunuchs like Wei Zhongxian and Wang Zhen were notorious.
A eunuch�s duties were to serve the emperor and handle administrative affairs. A record from the late Ming period noted that there were 9,000 court ladies and 100,000 eunuchs. Another record adds that in 1911 at the tail end of the Xinhai Revolution that ended imperial rule and ushered in a republic, 3,000 eunuchs were still working in the royal court of the Qing Dynasty.
The close circle formed by eunuchs around the emperor was called danei in Chinese, or daenae in Korean. Originally it referred to the storage room in a palace but later it was transformed to mean the royal inner court - people or officials close to the top leader. The word was also used to refer to the royal court during the Joseon Dynasty.
It is natural for eunuchs in the daenae to assist the emperor because it was their duty to serve as aides. But problems arise when their power exceeds their station. If they abuse this power, an administrative system won�t function properly, resulting in possible corruption.
In the Joseon Dynasty, government officials wielded strong power and thus there was a relatively small chance for eunuchs to dominate power. But these days in Korea�s political circles, there is always concern that aides might hold excessive power and influence.
We still vividly remember that the Blue House under the former Roh Moo-hyun administration interfered in various government policies and caused confusion in state affairs. When the incumbent administration took office it reduced the size of the office of presidential secretaries, but it seems still to resemble its predecessor. It feels even more so when looking at the head of the Presidential Council for National Future and Vision who spoke about education policy without consulting the relevant ministry.
A person who is close to the king must not mistakenly believe that he can do anything. An aide to the president should only seek balance and harmony in policies and offer advice. He must not indulge in power and overstep the bounds of his job.
The writer is an editorial writer of the JoongAng Ilbo.
By Yoo Kwang-jong [[email protected]]
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Smee
Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Location: Jeollanam-do
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I enjoy writing, I enjoy teaching writing, and I enjoyed teaching writing to EFL/ESL students in school back home. I understand how difficult it is to write in a foreign language, and that, to be honest, a lot of native speaker college students can't put together a readable essay. I'm also sympathetic to the different styles of writing across cultures, although it's become unfashionable to say "Asians write like this" or "Americans write like this."
But Jesus Tapdancing Christ I want to punch the goddamn monitor each time I read an editorial in this country. Knock it off with starting off on unrelated points, knock it off with going on numerous tangents, knock it off with bringing in historical trivia that is an attempt to show off your knowledge and how good you are at using Wikipedia . . . Christ these articles are bad, and I'm sick of the Korean style of putting in the main idea at the end of the story.
If people want to learn English, and their levels are high enough, they're better off reading the bajillion authentic English-language papers on the internet. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| There have been others. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
