Korean Job Discussion Forums

Jetgirly · Joined: 10 Nov 2006

I am working in a public school in Canada, teaching ESL to middle school students. Some of my Korean students always write "Corea". I don't know the exact history behind this spelling but I understand that for some people Corea/Korea is a touchy subject. How can I explain to my Korean students that in Canada, they have to spell Korea with a "K"? My instincts tell me that I should demand this spelling from them, but I don't want to be the evil dictator who is intolerant of their cultural values. Is this an issue that I should let slide? If I do need to enforce the "K", how can I do it with sensitivity?

Thank you!

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Just tell them Corea is wrong, Korea is right until their own government decides to formally change it (like Burma into Myranmar), WHICH THEY HAVEN'T DONE YET. Don't be nice or offer the choice. They are currently wrong. Correct it whenver you see it.

huffdaddy · Joined: 25 Nov 2005

And don't let them get away with that "East Sea" *beep* either.

ulsanchris · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: take a wild guess

TO make a long story short. Some Koreans believe that Japan forced korea to change korea's spelling from Corea to Korea in order to come first alphabetically. This is not true. The korean government changed the spelling before 1905. There is a lot of evidence to support this. Just do a seach on Korea Corea on google. One of the more interesting pieces of evidence used to prove the Japan did not change the spelling is that Japan always refered to Korea as either Chosun, or Corea. You would think that if japan forced korea to change the spelling of its name it would use the changed spelling.

Green Tea · Joined: 04 Nov 2006

"Korean scholars and politicians who have begun a drive to change the official English-language name of their country to "Corea." The seemingly arcane campaign is based on an increasingly prevalent belief that the original "C" was switched to a "K" by the Japanese at the start of their 1910-45 occupation of the peninsula so that their lowly colonials would not precede them in the English alphabetical hierarchy. "

minorthreat · Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:30 pm Post subject:

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

I explained it to my students by saying that in America, Canada, etc no one would understand. Show them the spelling of it in several languages. In spanish it has a C i believe. This way they will see that its just a spelling issue, not a japanese history thing. My students were fine with it when I explained it like that.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

Honestly, it is pretty simple. Latin languages use a C, Germanic languages use a K.

minorthreat · Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 3:35 am Post subject:

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Pligganease · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: The deep south...

Anytime one of my students decides to take up that campaign, I say, "O.K."

Then, for a week or two, I call Korea "Sorea." It makes the students angry as hell and I tell them that the only reason I did it was because I thought that that is how they wanted me to pronounce the new spelling.

Then they get embarrassed, and I tell them that the "C-to-a-K" story was just a joke played on them by Japanese netizens.

Then, they change their minds and would never dream of saying "Corea."

poet13 · Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:12 pm Post subject:

" they think there are only two countries in North America"

So how many countries are there really in North America?
Are you including the countries of Central America?

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Ah.. this topic.. always interesting.