Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[jays]

Which of (1) or (2) is the meaning of the bold part of "it was several years before I stopped comparing each detail of Korean life with that of my own country" in the following paragraph ?
(1) Several years ago.I stopped comparing each detail of Korean life with that of my own country.
(2) Many Korean customs and attitudes seemed very strange to me several years before I stopped comparing each detail of Korean life with that of my own country.

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When I first came to Korean five years ago, many Korean customs and attitudes seemed very strange to me. Often I found myself in uncomfortable and embarrassing situations because I looked at everything through "American" eyes. Not being able to speak the Korean language certainly added to my confusion. To tell the truth, it was several years before I stopped comparing each detail of Korean life with that of my own country. And, when I could finally communicate well enough to understand what was going on around me, I was able to see how wrong many of my perceptions had been.

[buddhaheart]

I�ve trouble with the conjunction �before� in "it was several years before I stopped comparing each detail of Korean life with that of my own country." The sentence doesn�t seem to make a lot of sense with �before�? Consider using �later� and ask the question again.

[CP]

It's an idiom that means, "Several years passed before I stopped . . . ."
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[buddhaheart]

[CP]

No. The expression is complete as it is. "It was several years before I could eat lamb again." "It was weeks before I could get up and walk." "It was hours before the doctor called my name."
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb