KoreanClass101.com Blog

All of my students know that I am leaving during summer vacation, and that next semester there will be a new English teacher.  And although theorhetically, they have all been told I’m not leaving until the end of August, NOT all of them really grasped that part.

This week I am in the middle of a 10-day English day camp for 4th and 5th graders.  There are all sorts of programs going on at school, so kids are in and out all day long.  If you are a Korean student, there really is no such thing as summer vacation.  One of my students told me that he wasn’t looking forward to it because even though he wouldn’t have to go to school, his mother would make him attend 학원 all day long now.

Anyway, one little girl in 1st grade saw me at school the other day.  And she screamed across the room:

“아직 안 갔지!?”
You haven’t left yet?

Adept readers will notice that that sentene is about as deep in 반말 as it could be. Most of the time, my students speak with apporiate politeness when they use Korean. If they use 반말 it is never to be intentionally disrespectful, but instead because of 4 reasons. 1) They are just joking, 2) They don’t really see me as a “선생님” (probably because I am just the silly English Teacher) and they are trying to build a more friendly relationship. 3) They are still learning how to use Korean correctly.  4) They think they can get away with it.

Anyway, I usually don’t let them get away with it. And since what she said was about as rude as it could be, I was NOT going to let this little girl slide. So after she screamed “아직 안 갔지” she ran over towards me to presumably hug me or continue this conversation. She hit a brick wall:

Austin: “너 이리 와…다시 말해봐” (Get over here…try to say that again)
(that is my standard phrase to make a kid use 존댓말.  The nuance is that the kid said something wrong and should fix it.)

Bratty girl: “니가 안 갔어?” (You didn’t go?)
Austin: “뭐래? 다시 말 해봐..디시!” (What did you say? Say it again…again!)
Bratty girl: “언제 가?” (When are you going?)
Austin: “그 건 뭐야? 어? 안 갔어 뭐야? 아직 안 갔지 뭐야? 내가 선생님이라서 니가 그렇게 말했냐?” (What is that? Huh? You didn’t go? You haven’t left yet? I am a teacher, and you speak to me like that?!”
Bratty girl just looks at me with this really confused and bewildered expression.
Austin: “다시 말 해봐…이렇게…선생님 언제 가세요?” (Try again, like this: Teacher, when are you leaving?)
Bratty girl (in a very small, timid voice): “선..생..님…언제…가…세…요…?
Austin: “오! 언제 가냐고? 8월 21일에 갈 거야! 그래 아직 안 갔어” (Oh! When am I leaving? I’m leaving August 21. You’re right I haven’t left yet.)

It is difficult to express the difference between sentences like:

아직 안 갔지? and 언제 가

with

아직 안 가셨어요? and 언제 가세요?

While there are (dis)repsectful ways of seaking in English, it does not map to the speech levels in Korean. Suffuce it to say that his girl was being really “impolite.” I use quotes because I’m about 80% sure this particular student has some sort of learning disability which might offer some explanation as to why I had such difficulty getting her to correct her mistake. Still, I think there is little excuse for it and if she is having similar problems when adressing older Koreans, she MUST learn to speak properly.

Now, I want to go back to the fouth reason I suspect kids might use 반말 with me; they think they can get away with it. This comes courtesy of 현우. I was talking with him a week or so ago, and shared some stories of students using 반말 towards me. His theory is that kids see it as an “escape” from the very rigid rules of their linguistic culture. 99% of students wouldn’t even DREAM of speaking to their Korean teacher like that. The concept doesn’t even register. But because I am a foreigner, I fall outside of the rigid social mores. Surely the consequences for using 반말 or trying to give me a 똥침 are going to be much less severe than the extremely unlikely scenario of either of those happening to a Korean teacher.

Now, I can see perhaps two ways to react. First, I sort of like the idea of allowing kids some chance to get a “release” from the “stress” and “constraints” of their culture. It’s part of the reason I try very hard to make my English classes purely enjoyable and am happy even if they didn’t learn a whole lot, so long as they enjoyed the process.

However, I believe in reinforcing the rules and expectation that Korean culture places on them. They should not get in the habit of using 반말 with adults.  I don’t want to guilty of contributing to their confusion.

What would you do?

This past Saturday at my Korean Church we had a special event - a baby’s first birthday party.

In Korea, the baby’s first birthday party is very important, and one of the events at the birthday party is said to even foretell the baby’s future. This is called 돌잡이 (doljabi). Generally, many different things are spread out on a table, and the baby is encouraged to pick one of the things. The object that the baby picks is said to influence the baby’s future. Usually on the table is money (means the baby will be rich), rice (means he won’t go hungry), a pencil (means he will be scholarly), among other objects that all have a significance for his future.

At this particular 돌잡이 there was a debit card instead of cash (nobody had any! ㅋㅋ) and also rice, a pen, a book, and a few other things on the table. Everyone was telling the baby to pick the money, but in the end, he picked the book. I did not get to ask what that means, but I would assume it means something like the pencil - that he will be scholarly.

This was my first time experiencing a 돌잡이, and it was a fun experience! Have any of you been to a 돌잡이? Did anyone have a 돌잡이, and do you remember what you picked?

setting up the 돌잡이

shihoon picks a book

Sorry that I’ve been absent from the blog in recent weeks…but I am returning this week with a 2-part post for your translation pleasure.  My contract is finishing in less than 7 weeks, and I am leaving Korea.  Here is the text from the letter I wrote to half of my students.  The other half got slightly different, and simpler letters.

It was a really interesting experience.  As I was thinking about doing it, I was a little daunted by the Korean I would have to use.  I wasn’t sure I was up to the task.  I couldn’t decide if I should start in English because then I could get the right emotions out, and look for translation help, or if I should just try to write from scratch in Korean….I decided to give it a go starting in Korean.  I was really pleased with the results!  KClass team, you can claim as much credit as you want for increasing my fluency to this level !^^

I’ll post the translation after a few days.

6학년 1반 친구들에게,

이제는 거의 여름 방학이잖아요.  많이 기대했죠? 오늘은 우리 마지막 수업인데요. 그래서 하고 싶은 말 있어서 이 편지를 썼어요.  여러분 4학년 때 2006년 8월에 제가 한국에 도착했잖아요.  그전에는 외국에서 산 적이 없어서 내 생활은 너무 재미있게 됐어요.

우리 첫 번째 직접 만난 날 기억하세요?  저는 학생이 거의 600명 있으니까 별로 기억 안나요.  그렇지만 날마다 큰소리로 “Good Morning”으로 행복한 표정으로 인사 해준걸 항상 기억 할 게요.  여러분 덕분에 아침마다 환영 받은 느낌이었어요.

수업 할 때 한국어를 거의 절대로 말 안 했잖아요.  영어를 익숙하게 만들려 그렇게 했거든요. 원어민 선생님이 영어로만 말했으면 좋겠어요. 왜냐하면 그것이 여러분들이 더 잘 듣고, 말하는 연습을 하게 하니까요!  그렇지만 영어를 많이 공부하지 않았으면 좀 힘든 거 나도 잘 알아요.  여러분 열심히 공부해 줘서 감사합니다. 수업 시간이 별로 길지 않고 계획한 만큼 못 가르쳤는데 아쉬워요.  어쨌든 여러분한테 외국어 공부 하는 것이 얼마나 재미 주고 싶었어요.  다음 학기에 새로운 원어민 선생님 오신다면서요.  걱정 너무 하지 마요.  다른 외국인 만나는 건 좋을 것 같아요.  그 선생님에 대해서 아무 것도 모르지만 우리 성북 학생 여러분들은 너무 착해서 새로운 선생님이랑 잘 맞을 것 같아요.

올해 가을에 해외여행갈 계획인데요.  중미에서 스페인어도 배우고 싶어요.  그 다음에 대학원으로 입학 할거예요.  궁금하면 여행갈 때 내가 뭐 하는지 알 수 있도록 사진과 편지들 학교로 보내줄게요.  그리고 앞으로 연락 하고 싶으면 이메일 꼭 보내줘요!

앞으로 영어를 열심히 공부할 때 틀린 거 나오면 걱정 하지 마요.  연습 많이 하면 유창하게 말하는 거 꼭 배울 수 있습니다. 부지런히 계속 하면 영어는 점점 더욱 쉽게 될 수 있어요.

마지막으로 2년 동안 아주 재미있었고 보람 있었어요. 여러분과 시간 지내서 즐겁게 보냈어요. 한국은 집 같은 나라 됐어요. 우리 성북초등학교 선생님들과 학생들이 가족처럼 대해줬어요.  세월이 흐르면 다시 만나지도 모르고, 얼마 후에 한국에서 떠나지만, 마음속에서 추억 가지고 갈 거예요. 여러분을 잊지 않을게요. 노인이 되면 여러분 다정하게 기억 할 거 예요.

사랑해요 여러분,

Mr. D 선생님 올림

And lest you think that I am a bad English teacher for writing in Korean, rest assured they will get the English version printed with it!  But in reality, this letter is way over the heads of most student’s English ability….besides writing in Korean is a bit more fun anyway!

I have just returned from teaching english to 승진. The last few weeks I have been teaching him how to spell and write, and as a result he is also learning to read. I still don’t really think I know what I’m doing when it comes to teaching a 5 year old English, but he is doing really really well. He used to attend the pre-school where I work, but it’s been a few weeks, so the only time I see him is at his house on Wednesdays. During our lesson time I only speak to him in English now, because he is understanding well, and I no longer get a chance to speak to him in Korean at school (because he’s not there).

So, tonight, after our lesson he was playing with his brother as we were getting ready for dinner (which was amazing 김치 순재비 - it’s like kimchi noodle soup) he suddenly looks at me with a very confused expression on his face, and asks 근데 한국말 할 수 있어요? (can you speak korean?) to which i answered just 네 (yes). His mother and I both laughed at that and she quickly said 선생이 한국말 잘 해잖아~ 기억 하지? (your teacher speaks korean well, don’t you remember?)

Apparently he’s already forgotten that I used to speak to him in Korean all the time. Children do have short memory spans! He was excited though, and kept asking me all sorts of questions in Korean the rest of the night, though I answered him in English. For my sake, I wish I could only talk to him in Korean, but he really needs to hear proper English (since he is no longer in school and doesn’t have to speak English anymore).

Which brings me to my main point: I have found a Korean tutor for myself! He is a friend from Church who first asked me if I would help him with his English, but it turns out he wants to help me with my Korean. We have been meeting every week and he makes me speak Korean. Every other opportunity I have to speak Korean, I usually end up just speaking English because it is easier and people will still understand me. But he will ask me a question, and if I answer in English he will tell me to say what I just said in Korean. It has been the most helpful thing in all of my Korean studies: being in a situation where I have to speak Korean.

So, if you really want to practice your speaking and sentence forming skills, find someone who either a.) doesn’t speak English, or b.) will not let you speak English. You will be able to speak much better than you think you can if you have to speak Korean.

I hope everyone is having a good week! ^^

This will be a short entry because I am late for work. ^^

This last week I received my first phone call from Korea! I was on my lunch break at work, and my friend called me. It took me all of about two minutes to realize that she was completely drunk! I asked her what time it was and she said it was 3 a.m. I had forgotten about the time difference for a minute and thought it was hilarious that she was calling me drunk on my lunch break. It was even more funny when I went back in to work and told the other teachers “..Uh… I think I just got a drunk phone call.. From Korea…”

I talked to the same friend a few days later (sober this time) and she told me that she was upset about her wedding that is coming up next summer because her fiance’s father wants them to have a traditional Korean wedding. She kept saying, “I want to wear a wedding dress!!” But if the groom’s family wants a traditional wedding, they kind of have to do it that way. I asked her what a traditional wedding was like - she told me you have to wear hanbok and get married at a traditional palace and that it takes a long time. She didn’t tell me much else.

Has anyone here been to a traditional Korean wedding? Please, share your experience in the comments! Then maybe I can persuade my friend that it will not be so bad. She is very upset about it!

this past week, harrie/증진 (the boy i tutor) graduated from my preschool, and i will now only see him on wednesdays when i tutor him at his house. sad. i didn’t see him for a whole week and i was so excited on my way over to his house today, but when i got there, he was in an awful mood. he did not want to study, he did not want to play an english game, he did not want to read the book i brought with me, he kept saying “i no play you (i’m not playing with you),” and pouting. he even told me to shut up and called me stupid! his mom had to come over and talk to him, but he still didn’t listen to her. finally, he broke down completely sobbing and we had to stop for the day. after that he wouldn’t even eat dinner!

a little while later his 8 year old brother came home (harrie is 5) and he heard me and his mom talking about harrie’s behavior. he was so upset with harrie for acting like that toward me that he started yelling at him in korean and was threatening to hit him. their mom had to separate them.

i bring up all of this to say that in general, i think that korean children are much more respectful than american children. i think all children have bad days (like harrie today - he is not usually like that), but i haven’t met an american 8 year old boy that would reprimand his own brother’s behavior like i saw today. from a very young age, korean children learn to differentiate 반말 and 존대말. i’ve seen very young children reprimanded for not speaking properly to adults.

respect is so much a part of korean culture that it is even built right into the language. i think this is part of the reason why korean children are generally more respectful than american children. the family unit has much more value in korean culture than in american culture, and i think that makes a big impact as well. the most respectful american children i’ve met came from very strong and caring families…

please don’t get me wrong, i am not saying that all american children are awful or that all korean children are perfect, i am just speaking from my observations. does anyone else have any thoughts on this? or perhaps other reasons why korean children seem to be so well behaved?

and just to make my blog more korean, the phrase i used the most today:

공부 해야 지~

i’m getting good at using this ^^ know what it means?

여러분 안영하세요!

I just wanted to write a quick note to say hello, and also to introduce myself and the new blog that I am excited about sharing with you.

My name is Emily (username: holdfast). I am 24, I have been studying Korean for just over one year, and I currently live in Nashville, TN, USA (and just for the record, no, I am not a country music fan^^). It is not a very large city, and at first glance I wasn’t able to find much Korean learning help, but now it almost seems to find me! The biggest help recently has been my experience teaching english to a little boy named 승진 (and if you haven’t seen the picture I posted in the forum, go check it out, he really is the cutest kid I’ve ever seen).

I unashamedly love kpop (especially super junior), and I really like using parenthesis (if you didn’t notice already). I am not sure there is anything else to say about me at this point, but if you have any questions, please ask!

I will be writing (hopefully) every week about the adventures in self-language learning and the Korean culture that I come across here in the States. ^^

여러분 기대하세요! (Everyone, please look forward to it!)