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| Do you think it's worthwhile to learn Korean? |
| Absolutely! |
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80% |
[ 24 ] |
| If you like that kind of thing. |
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6% |
[ 2 ] |
| Just the basics like maekju and soju. |
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6% |
[ 2 ] |
| God no! |
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6% |
[ 2 ] |
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| Total Votes : 30 |
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casey's moon
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Location: Daejeon
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 Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 5:09 pm Post subject: How has learning Korean changed your life here? |
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I've been in Korea for four years and just spent 5 months studying Korean full time, and yesterday I realized that speaking Korean has given me a totally different impression of Koreans. Those annoying overly personal or just stupid questions and useless comments ("What do you think Korean food?" "Your country good." "You are beautiful woman" etc.) have disappeared! When Koreans speak in Korean and you can understand them, they ask very intelligent (sometimes still personal, but that's just the culture, right!?) questions and make interesting comments... I guess they just said the stupid stuff because that was all they were capable of in English...
Any thoughts?
(I'm not a newbie on this cafe -- I was here in from 2000 to 2002, and have just rejoined) |
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nev
Joined: 04 Jan 2004
Location: ch7t
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Learning the language, or trying to, is one of the most rewarding things I have done here. It's a great shame that more Western teachers don't try it, because it makes Korea much more enjoyable. |
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chronicpride
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Agreed. And a lot less angry assumptions over what is being said or insinuated. |
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sadsac
Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: Gwangwang
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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I would never learn Korean beyond the basic courtesies. It's a harsh language to listen too. No thanks.  |
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agraham
Joined: 19 Aug 2004
Location: Daegu, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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| sadsac wrote: |
| I would never learn Korean beyond the basic courtesies. It's a harsh language to listen too. No thanks. |
Every language sounds harsh if you don't understand it. |
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casey's moon
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Location: Daejeon
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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Actually, I've never heard anyone say that Korean is harsh to listen to before. Unless you're talking about young women whining to their boyfriends (or an overcrowded hagwon class) in which case it probably sounds worse because you don't understand it, as the previous poster said. Even if it is harsh, that seems like one of the stranger reasons I've heard for not learning a language! But whatever...
I also used to feel like the things that were being said about me in front of me were negative, but since getting to the point where I actually understand between 60 and 80 percent of what's being said, I haven't heard a snide remark once. I guess I was paranoid....
In my opinion, it isn't really worthwhile to try to get beyond the basics unless you're planning to be here for 2 or more years. It's just too much effort for westerners, although ANYONE here longer than 2 months should probably learn to read, and all the basics, including both number systems... |
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chronicpride
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 10:55 pm Post subject: |
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| agraham wrote: |
| sadsac wrote: |
| I would never learn Korean beyond the basic courtesies. It's a harsh language to listen too. No thanks. |
Every language sounds harsh if you don't understand it. |
Agreed. Before I started learning the language, it sounded harsh and difficult. Now, I think the language sounds beautiful when listening or speaking it.
I will never get tired of listening to a barrage of jeondaemal. |
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Mashimaro
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: location, location
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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| casey's moon wrote: |
where I actually understand between 60 and 80 percent of what's being said, I haven't heard a snide remark once. I guess I was paranoid....
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You've hit on a big problem of many users of this board. PARANOIA. they don't understand the actions or language of those around them in Korea and assume it is negative. Sad. Funny how those who speak ok korean seem to enounter much less "xenophobia/racism" then those who don't. |
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casey's moon
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Location: Daejeon
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 12:06 am Post subject: |
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| EXACTLY Mashimoro! (by the way, love your avatar... and I hate it too... the urge to vomit and laugh at the same time.... nice work). |
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chronicpride
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 12:35 am Post subject: |
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| Mashimaro wrote: |
| casey's moon wrote: |
where I actually understand between 60 and 80 percent of what's being said, I haven't heard a snide remark once. I guess I was paranoid....
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You've hit on a big problem of many users of this board. PARANOIA. they don't understand the actions or language of those around them in Korea and assume it is negative. Sad. Funny how those who speak ok korean seem to enounter much less "xenophobia/racism" then those who don't. |
That's bang-on. There is a lot of tough talk like 'I'm a good judge of character. I know when a person is saying or meaning this, blah-blah'. That's a crock. All the people that I've ever met who said stuff like that, were professional assumers. I felt paranoia and isolation during my first 6-12 months here. Then, progressively, I felt a lot less, and now, almost non-existent, save for the days that I'm just in a bad mood, period.
Looking back, the loss of paranoia and isolation happened concurrently with advancements in studying the local language. Wow! That's some weird math.  
If a whole truckload of Korean-speaking expats started posting and spouting off the paranoid racism diatribe, then ok. I'll respect and listen to that and hell, possibly even subscribe to some of their vantage points. But for people that can't maintain a conversation beyond the 'juseyos', 'olmayos', 'issayos', and 'kajuseyos' of simple survival Korean, who come on here and say that they've got Koreans all figured out? Please. That's lazy stereotyping. And they go and start XYZ thousands of posts and threads about Koreans doing the very same thing. Kettle, meet Black. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 12:45 am Post subject: |
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To answer the OP....
In every conceivable way. |
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Wisco Kid
Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Location: Changwon
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| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 2:36 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
agraham wrote:
sadsac wrote:
I would never learn Korean beyond the basic courtesies. It's a harsh language to listen too. No thanks.
Every language sounds harsh if you don't understand it.
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I'm a jerk for this, but I just can't bring my self to learn much korean, and the reason is that I just don't like the sound of the language. Although to me it sounds more whiney than harsh. I know this isn't gonna win me any friends here, but that's just my honest situation. I disagree that every language sounds harsh if you don't know it. The first time I heard Thai spoken I thought it was just lovely, and the same for Japanese. These two languages just seem to resonate with my ears I lot better than some other languages. Indian languages also just seem to sound a lot smoother to me than something like German for example.
On the otherhand, I get a kick out of learning scripts and alphabets, and was able to learn the basics of written korean in about 15 min. Usually if I have to write a kid's name on the board I'll try writing it in korean for practice. Also that way I don't have to worry about spelling Su/Soo the wrong way. |
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matesol
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 4:36 am Post subject: |
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Here's why I haven't learned Koran well (I have an intermediate knowledge). I am tired of the honorifics. Koreans have a nasty tendency of talking to you with the lowest form or respect (called "Pam Mal" in Korean). If you talk to them the same way they talk to you, they are about ready to bite your head off. I am not a novice in terms of linguistic knowlege. I speak French fluently as a second language. I also have a working knowledge of German, Latin and classical Greek. This is why I was able to learn Korean as well as I have without making much of an effort.
In my view, Korean language is a medium of oppression. Talk to the kids you teach about it. They all say the same thing. Older people talk to them in Pam Mal (low respect) but you don't dare talk to them the same way. You call your older siblings Nuna, Oni, Hyeung or Oppa. Only your firends call you by name, not your younger siblings. Don't believe it? Listen to brothers and sisters talk. The younger ones almost never use the name of their older siblings. Before I came to Korea, I didn't really have an opinion on the "respectful" use of "vous" in French, and "Sie" in German. Now I do. I am glad that ENGLISH and no other language is the international language. A language that has no special "honorifics" at all is the a language that fosters common courtesy for all people. A LOT of the rudeness that Koreans exhibit has its roots in all this status nonsense they are all so paranoid about. |
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adventureman
Joined: 18 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 4:43 am Post subject: |
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| Wisco Kid wrote: |
| I heard Thai spoken I thought it was just lovely |
I always thought Thai sounded like a constipated gorilla. |
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djsmnc
Joined: 20 Jan 2003
Location: Dave's ESL Cafe
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| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 5:28 am Post subject: |
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| matesol wrote: |
In my view, Korean language is a medium of oppression. Talk to the kids you teach about it. They all say the same thing. Older people talk to them in Pam Mal (low respect) but you don't dare talk to them the same way. You call your older siblings Nuna, Oni, Hyeung or Oppa. Only your firends call you by name, not your younger siblings. |
Algessumnida ajossi!
| Quote: |
| I am glad that ENGLISH and no other language is the international language. A language that has no special "honorifics" at all is the a language that fosters common courtesy for all people. A LOT of the rudeness that Koreans exhibit has its roots in all this status nonsense they are all so paranoid about |
I hear ya dude! |
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