Korean Job Discussion Forums

[coolsage]

I suppose that I notice this phenomenon because I've been here a while and because I'm of a different demographic, but the level of English spoken by many 'native speakers' who have just stepped off the boat, particularly those under the age of thirty, is suspect. I'm reluctant to tar all those otherwise articulate and intelligent individuals with a broad brush, but the next time I hear 'like, you know' emanating from the face of someone who is ostensibly here to impart language, I might just throttle him/her. Call me a purist, but these 'expressions' are lazy language, reflective of a low-end pop- culture , but without validity in teaching the language. So if you are one of those who, like, uses those terms, you know, keep them to yourself, or at least, out of the classroom. It's tough enough imparting second-language to willing recipients without having to explain where the 'empty' terms fit in. And, frankly, nobody over the age of nineteen should be talking this way. So, like, you know, that's all I have to say on, you know, this subject.

[the_beaver]

naw

[VanIslander]

[yoda]

I feel the same way at times. But, in the end, the true test of what they should learn depends on their motivation for learning it.

If they wish crisp, clear, articulate thought expressed in English then, perhaps, it's best to avoid that kind of language.

On the other hand, if your students wish to communicate with culturally degraded under-30s from North America, then they may have to be competent at the very least in understanding such expressions.

Oh! The degradation of the English language has been pondered long before under-30s showed up in Korea.

I particulary like Orwell's point about staleness of imagery and lack of precision. Although his preference for Anglo-Saxon words over Greek, Latin, or French is a bit extreme. Reminds me of many of my friends with Korean Lit degrees wanting to eradicate Chinese roots from Korean

[I_Am_Wrong]

like, you know, there's nothing wrong with adding some flavour to the language in order to make learning it a bit more fun. However, I do concur that there are some things that should be left out of the classroom. I will vehemently defend that there is absolutely nothing wrong with teaching slang and that it is an essential.

[Son Deureo!]

[Kim Jong Jordan]

[chronicpride]

[Wangja]

As long as they know it IS slang and hence when its use might be appropriate. This is pretty advanced stuff ....

[Ilsanman]

I didn't know I was under the watchglass 24 hours a day, just because I work as a teacher.

[Lizara]

No, see, I talk how I want when I'm out of school, and how I talk with my friends is an entirely different matter from what I teach my students. That, and most of my students are beginners or close to it and they don't seem to pick up much of anything except for the official school curriculum which we spend tons of time practicing, and obviously I'm not going to spend that many hours drilling them on acceptable uses of "like, you know." Although that would be kind of funny...

[crazylemongirl]

the day that english stops evolving and changing is the day it's relegated to the status of latin.

[Wangja]

or French ....

[bosintang]

[dull artist]