Replies to This Discussion | 이 토론에 대한 답글들

Permalink Reply by Lester Waller Jr on October 30, 2010 at 8:20pm

Such a simple question requires a lengthy response. :-)
While in the US Marine Corps as a cook I was approached and asked if I wanted to become a translator. I was taking a psychology class in the evenings at the time and one of my fellow students was a translator. Of course, I was excited about going to language school at someone else's expense. As I learned about the new field I was entering I found out that it was normal for these translators to go to language school more than once and pick up another language during their career. Therefore, because I was interested in Asian languages I decided to first go to learn Chinese Mandarin. I knew that both Korean and Japanese used Chinese characters so a base in Chinese would be the smart way to go. I went to the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterey, California from 1983-84 for basic Chinese. That was later followed up by intermediate Chinese at UC Santa Cruz in the summer of '87 and finally intermediate Chinese at Beijing University in the summer of 1988.
I finally got the opportunity when I was about to leave Hawaii in 1989 to put in for another language, Korean. I took the basic course in Korean at DLI from 1989-90. I was right about having Chinese as a background to help me in learning the Chinese character-based vocabulary in Korean. Unfortunately, following the Korean language school I was called upon to do Chinese translations and/or interpretation and when I did go to Korea for a short visit it was as an intelligence analyst and not as a translator so I got very little time working with Koreans when I needed it most, right out of language school.
I spent six years in Okinawa, Japan off and on from 1984-2000 and each time I did I would take a University of Maryland Japanese language class. I guess you could say I am illiterate in three Asian languages, hehehe.
I maintain a very basic working knowledge of all three languages, but my exposure to each is very sporadic since I work with Americans almost all of the time in my daytime job.
If I were to work with a business in Korea, I would think that my language skills although not fluent would be helpful in that at least in social settings I could communicate and show that I am interested in each of the languages and cultures that are important to businesses in Asia. As it is, with my secondary profession in photography I have already had occasions to speak to Japanese, Korean, and Chinese people who were also interested in photography. I also had a few KBC members test me during the Global Networking Event, I hope I passed their test. :-)
I answered this question first because I could see that I would really need to sit down and think about the most recent posts before I could contribute to them. I think the idea of advanced Korean in a business setting is very good and I will tackle those in the not too distant future.

Permalink Reply by Lara Tosh on November 6, 2010 at 5:57pm

I'm "studying" -if you can call it that ^.~ because:

1. I'm increasingly finding myself in situations where I'd like to be able to contribute to the conversation ...I love communicating & I love learning about others' experiences -and I regularly meet really cool native Korean speakers.

2. My best gal pal is a native Korean speaker

3. I'd LOVE to be able to nail my hubby's butt to the wall in a verbal exchange -I can do it in English, but that's absolutely no fun at all because he's not a native English speaker & I can't even get my competitive feathers ruffled whenever he tries to engage me (I gave it to him ONCE, and the resulting injury to his pride was NOT pretty ...I will NEVER go there again ^.~) ...SOOOOOO, a little while back, I got a gal pal to coach me & I came home one day from work "linguistically armed & dangerous" -and totally freaked him out as I started a "colorful exchange" with him ...for about the first 30 seconds, that is ^.~ By that point, I'd used up my ammo -BUT, it felt great to have gotten that far!!!

...and when I told him recently that my main reason for learning Korean is so that we can "go at it" on his playing field, there was a twinge of fear in his eyes (which he quickly covered up with a hearty, "I welcome that!").

THAT is my strongest motivation ^.^

Permalink Reply by Shoru on November 8, 2010 at 11:49am

in mine case paradoxically after learning basics words (over 300 words) of Korean I wasn't need to learn Korean any more cuz whole mine work was in computer dialogs with colleagues was on English, and now it is really necessary cuz only now I understanding what how important learn the domestic language

usually MOST FOREIGNERS (I have never seen the some foreigner if he not from language direction who learns Korean in first month in Korea even with Korean classes which provided by University) after troubles of learning Korean under own lazy of complains like, they are says:

- ohhhh it so difficult - entirely not difficult - Enlgish is much difficult than Korean,
- it taked to long time I cant spend so much time for learn the Korean - ohhhh!!! - our personal Korean teacher with two students teach us to read (within one hour) and rightly type (within 1 week) at week we hade 3 time class each one was 2-3 hours.
- what I will with Korean language - anyway within one year maximum 2 years I will leave this country (really dynamic country) and will come back to homeland ?! - at least 1 month it is already big time, even just for find in market some need product you have to learn language - for your self and if you respect domestic nation pls show that one by talking in domestic language - even you are some director or highest student of some Europe country USA and so on. - and it is much interest than dry understanding by fingers intonations and so on positions
- I have seen many foreigners who staing here more than 6 month, five years, 3 years - and most of them look to Korean language with no so respect which it have be, so it is very nice question THE REASON TO LEARN KOREAN - also who came to Korea have not to give this question to own self - he have learn Korean!

including Korean language I know 7 languages: Uzbek, Tajik, Russian, Korean, English, Kazakh and Tatar and can understand some similar languages from same language families, but it is not makes me polyglot cuz only Uzbek and Korean I have learned by book - really! other English - by reading documentations with digital dictionary, Russian street, Kazakh - neigbours, Tatar - mine housekeeper, and so on in some of them I can talk very well in some not so, but what exact I can say what Korean is not difficult against to others which I know


also I can give science proofs what it easy to learn cuz:
Korean characters and language which have nowadays view was unique language and one in the world which was developed by philosophical group during 300 years: they are used most simple characters - you can compare with japan and Chinese it simply can be observe, during handling was many changes - new words, from Chinese, Japanese, and of course USA fashion :),

that point what Korean language was constructed by science sphere already make it simple to learn: two year ago when I started learn Korean I am also looked for the methods: how to learn the language - Asian languages: and most recommendations was in case of Japanese, Korean, Chinese - start from Korean! - time already decided which of them most simple. maybe I touched some another points of language but I am sure to student who learn Korean it will be helpful.

Permalink Reply by N.Barker on November 21, 2010 at 9:58am

I've been learning Korean on and off for 7 years now. Now, I'm 'on again.' For me, I'm learning Korean to make living here much more fun and interesting. Being able to do things independently without always relying on my wife is keeping me motivated. I know she gets tired of being my translator/interpreter 24/7.

Permalink Reply by Michael Kocken on November 27, 2010 at 9:38pm

I feel in generally Korean language is a great language to communicate in. It's very hard to explain but I often feel that communicating in Korean is more fun and interesting than communicating in English.

Permalink Reply by Lara Tosh on November 28, 2010 at 11:09am

I agree! ...I like the "simplicity" & the fact that the same words can mean something TOTALLY different depending upon what the other person is perceiving & the situation ...so much more of the communication that happens in Korean is weighted upon body language (including micro-facial expressions) & tone.

In truth, less than 10 % of communication depends uppon the words used ...the rest is body language (more than 50%) & intonation (miore than 30%).

Because of this communicating in Korean feels more "real" to me & it strengthens my perception skills beyond attending to mere words^.~

Permalink Reply by Sammy on December 17, 2010 at 8:49pm

If I want to know someone we need to learn the language of the country. At first it's difficult but in the end that give me satisfaction.If we use another language is not enough to understand and get through the way of thinking of the person.

 

Permalink Reply by Lara Tosh on December 18, 2010 at 9:20am

I agree:  the best way to "plug-in" to another person & to more deeply understand them is to interact in that person's native language

Permalink Reply by Håkan Söderström on December 21, 2010 at 2:26pm

When I tell people I'm learning Korean they kind of freeze and start talking about the weather. If you're not based in Korea, learning the language seems to be about the wackiest idea that crossed their path that day. Probably because Korea itself is more or less unmapped territory to many people here.

So I have to keep my reason secret. Please don't tell anyone!) My reason to learn Korean is that it's so fun. It's discovering a new way of thinking. It's discovering new sounds. It's realizing there is a parallel universe, the predominantly Chinese one, that developed during centuries while we Westerners thought we were alone in Universe.

It's also about dropping all preconceived notions about how a language works and starting from scratch. My textbook lists half a dozen speech levels. I thought that was impressive enough. Still, when going to church in Korea, I noticed there is a speech level not in the book for addressing God.

Is it difficult? No, it's ridiculously difficult. The wonder is to go to Korea and see how effortlessly people use it... even the kids.

Permalink Reply by Lara Tosh on December 21, 2010 at 2:58pm

I agree!  It IS fun ^.^

...It feels like I'm a kid again each time I reach an "aha!" moment of insight or success in the korean  language ...and the more one learns (at least as I've discovered so far), the more flexible (and thus, powerful) one's thoughts & abilities of perception become (and eventually behaviour follows soon after^.^).

 

Despite my low level, I feel that i've become so much more already ^.~  Hopefully, one of these days I'll be able to intelligently converse with a 5 year-old (a Korean friend's 5 year-old son keeps trying to help me learn faster ^.^).

 

Growth feels great -regardless of the pace!

 

 

Permalink Reply by Manohar Nema on December 29, 2010 at 1:45pm

Hi I  wanted to learn Korean to simplify life in Korea; I would like to use Korean for bridge two countries (India –Korea) there are great things in both countries which can be exchange from each end.