Replies to This Discussion | 이 토론에 대한 답글들

Permalink Reply by Thomas David Clanton on July 10, 2011 at 3:46am

    Some of the comments in this thread remind me of how the military has changed in similar fashion to the school system in regards to physical punishment.  Back in the 1980s there was a situation where I was at the base of a stairwell in an underground bunker talking to one Korean MP (military police) and one American MP who controlled access; both were enlisted friends of mine and we were all junior ranking soldiers at that time (E4 & E5).  A bitter cold wind always whipped down that stairwell so the American MP had a small space heater underneath the desktop on a shelf.  He was plenty warm and the Korean MP was shivering so he slid the heater over on the shelf to the Korean's side (still underneath the desktop surface).  Anyway, a Korean field grade officer (Major/O4) approached the desk to exchange his access badge to go inside and he put his hand on the desktop and felt the warmth from the heater.  He instantly got angry and called the Korean MP to attention and slapped his face while insulting him for being so weak that he'd use a heater.  That was a cultural shock to me.  In the US military an MP has positional authority that supercedes rank and I could never imagine an officer slapping a MP regardless of rank.  However, in the 1990s there was a campaign throughout the Korean military called "졸병 때리지말라는 운동" or "Don't hit the subordinates campaign".

졸병 lower ranking troops i.e. private, seaman, or airman

때리다 to hit or strike or slap

~지말다 to negate the preceding verb i.e. "don't ~!"

라는 contracted form of ~라고 하는 a quotation form used to express "~ is called___"

운동 means exercise (like jog, swim, etc) and it also means a campaign, movement or exercise in the broader sense

 

    The US military went through the same changes from condoning physical punishment decades ago to discouraging it when my generation served in the 80s and 90s to its current state which has reached the other extreme with today's generation e.g. I know an NCO instructor who was formally admonished (in today's highly competitive promotion system he'll never get promoted) because when he was at his desk counseling a private about failing grades, the private started crying about personal issues and got up and walked away.  The NCO genuinely worried he might be a danger to himself (possibly suicidal) so he grabbed the private by his backpack straps and physically escorted him over to his unit drill sergeant.  The drill sergeant saw the NCO's hand on the soldier's backpack strap and reported it.  A formal investigation ensued because current regulations explicitly prohobit any touching of subordinates whatsoever.

 

    So I've witnessed things change from one extreme to the other.  I can imagine the school systems may face similar challenges transitioning from an overly strict system where teachers abuse kids to an overly lenient system where teachers have no means to deal with totally uncontrollable, wild kids. 

Permalink Reply by Jamie Lee on August 16, 2011 at 10:47am

Thank you Thomas for sharing your story. It was interesting to hear your side of what probably was just a small scene from alot of different cultural experiences in the military in Korea. Though slightly off the subject, while it has become a whole new issue now in schools where students can easily upload phone video's and easily get a teacher expelled for any misdoings, the military still has its problems and has had it for a very long time. I really hope the sometimes irrational behavior that we often see from people in politics or those with authority will be demolish. Perhaps, it's not just a Korean issue, but it surely is rooted deeply in the Korean culture. 

Permalink Reply by Philipp Grunwald on August 30, 2011 at 9:04pm

Concerning the question to me it always was - and especially currently - I feel almost constantly embarassed.

It might sound weird, but independent of all other reasons (that exist for me), one reason to study Korean was that (unlike in other countries) here in Korea I somehow feel especially embarrassed about not being able to communicate or just having to communicate in English! Usually I love using English all around, but here I feel it is out of place.

All in all I notice that - as noted by others - public announcement (to my friends and putting the expectation on myself) and the resulting external pressure (as well as true commitment) work wonders in terms of progress. And, currently I notice that self-study is the best and only way to learn! At least to put in the basics. I guess language courses should ideally only be "conversation" and real-life interaction courses. After all, you stand in front of the plentiful supermarket or drugstore shelves and try to figure out what you can or should(n't) buy.

Unfortunately, I've never witnessed many such real-life examples in language courses. ;)

Permalink Reply by N.Barker on September 12, 2011 at 8:03pm

One recurring bad habit/phrase I use is "~ 필요 없어요." I don't know why, but I keep using it without thinking. I started using the phrase when I didn't know how to say "~배고 주세요."

 

I'd go into a restaurant and ask for dolsot bibimbap without an egg on top and say: "돌솥 비빔밥 주세요. 계란 필요 없어요." (I think it's similar to saying Dolsot Bibimbap, please. I don't need/have no use for an egg.)

 

I always have those Homer Simpson "D'oh!" moments as I still blurt this phrase out without thinking.

Permalink Reply by Steven S. Bammel on September 13, 2011 at 4:04pm

That's funny. But your example of the bibimbap isn't so far out. It does make sense... 

BTW, I know the feeling. Apparently I'm a big-time over-user of the phrase 그렇군요 in discussions where I'm doing a lot of listening... 

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