Media Monday: Well, OF COURSE They Do...

OF COURSE North Korea's response to the UN's decision to investigate possible human rights violations is to threaten nuclear testing.  It's kinda their knee-jerk reaction to everything (which in and of itself, that reaction should prove that NoKo is NOT responsible enough to have nuclear weaponry....I tend to think about a toddler who throws violent temper-tantrums every time it doesn't get its way.).

And of course the rest of the world has to take the threat seriously.  Which in turn only enables North Korea to think that the threat of nuclear testing can be and is the answer to everything they don't like.

The worst thing is there is no easy, or even feasible, way to resolve this.  For everyone who thinks their respective country (I'm not pointing fingers) should be isolationist, this is the result.  NOTHING exists in a bubble.  No man is an island, and whatnot.

Read the story:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30125047?OCID=fbasia

Friday Fives: My Top 5 Favorite Konglish Pronunciations (So Far)

Again, listed in countdown order.  I will try to write these out phonetically, as my students said them.  The actual Engish word(s) they meant is after the jump.  If you read (and understood Wednesday's Word Wednesday post, you may be able to guess ahead of the jump.  Because (generally) my students broke up the words into syllables (and pronunciation) as they would understand them in Hangul.


5. Tey-me

4. Pee-rhat

3. Rah-dee-oh

2. Soo-vi-vi-or/Sir-viv-al

1. Neh-to-land

Word Wedneday: Syllables

Now, that we have learned all those Hangul letters, let's work on making some words!

So, Korean words are really easy to understand.  They are syllabic in consonant-vowel(-consonant) form...usually...and when they vary from this form, it still makes a lot of sense.

Let's start with something simple.  Like Seoul.  To Americans (or English speakers in general) this is a one syllable word.  It's 2 syllables in Hangul: Seo-ul.  The first is 서 (Seo) and then 울 (ul).  The first syllable is C-V, the second is C-V-C.  I know the second syllable looks like it is just V-C, but the ㅇ is considered a "placeholder" consonant...here it is a silent consonant, like the p in pneumonia.  Ok so far?

Let's look at my town: Jincheon.  Do you see it?  Jin-Cheon.  Two perfect C-V-C syllables:  진(Jin) 천(Cheon).  Because "ch" is the hangul letter ㅊ, right?

Some other Korean place names you may have heard:

Busan > 부(Bu) 산(San) >  C-V and then C-V-C
Cheongju > 청(Cheong) 주(Ju) > C-V-C and then C-V
Gangnam > 강(Gang) 남(Nam) > C-V-C and then C-V-C
Pyeongyang > 평(Pyeong) 양 (Yang) > C-V-C and then C(silent)-V-C

Pretty cool, huh?

Or my Korean name: Hee Jin.  희(Hee) 진(Jin)...C-V and then C-V-C.

Most Korean words are 1 or 2 syllables...I have (so far) not seen many exceptions...and those are usually Konglish (Korean-English) words or other foreign words...like 바나나 (ba-na-na) or 카나다 (Ka-na-da).

Let's leave it here and let all that sink in.

Media Monday: The Problem(s) with Korea's English Education System

Now, this is an interesting article.

The writer is mainly discussing "hagwon" or after school private lesson academies and university entrance testing.  A lot of his points carry a lot of weight.  As someone who is a foreign English teacher, an Anthropologist, and student of half a dozen foreign languages (each taught in a different style) I can honestly agree with a lot of his points.

The Korean English education system is flawed...what foreign language program isn't?  There is no substitute for learning a language "organically."  But "immersion language programs" don't always mesh with a student's personal learning style.  I, for one, can't learn that way...I need to study and drill and analyze and practice before I can begin to understand in an immersion-style environment.  However, some people do fabulously in that type of learning environment.

Friday Fives: My Top Five Favorite Things Students Have Said to Me (So Far)

Sorry, for the delay....I had a busy end of the week last week!


I am presenting this one in count-down order...to build the tension to my favorite thing that a student has said to me.

5.Teacher, I love you.

This first time any student ever told me this I was, at the very least, surprised.  I think I said "thank you" in return.  It's just not something American students think...let alone say.  Then my co-teacher explained that students don't necessarily mean it as "I love you", but sometimes use it like "hello" and even as a figure of speech, like say, when they make a good grade on a test.  Anyway, I still choose to believe that it is sweet and flattering.

Thurday Trivia: Photographs of Korea 100 Years Ago

This drifted across my Facebook news feed a few days ago and I was fascinated by it.  Photographs from Korea from about 100 years ago.  A pre-Kpop/Kdrama Korea.  It's interesting to see that little bit of "Western-ness" had started to creep in, but as of 100 years ago (the blink of an eye by historical standards) Korea was still largely very traditional-looking.

Please enjoy!
http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/03/05/35-fascinating-photos-of-korea-from-100-years-ago-before-k-dramas-took-over-asia/

Word Wednesday: More Vowels

So, last time we went over the "regular" Korean vowels.  That means this week it is "irregular" vowels...or "dipthongs."

They look like this:

These are surprisingly easy to learn...if you have learned the regular vowels.  Most of them simply add a "w" sound to the front of the vowel.  But be fair warned, some of these are not always consistently romanized and I will try to point them out.  Let's begin, shall we?

Tasty Tuesday: Pepero Day

By happy coincidence, today happens to be Pepero Day.  November 11...which I have to explain to students is an entirely different holiday in America, which is why I don't give out pepero.

Anyway.

Pepero is the long stick cookies that are usually dipped in something  (the Japanese call it Pocky...if that sounds more familiar).  Like in this chart:

The story is November 11th (11-11) is Pepero day because the ones in the date look like the stick candy.  I think the superstition is that if one eats Pepero at 11:11 on 11/11 (November 11th) they will become tall and slim like the candy.  (Alas, that ship has long since sailed for me.)  Girls and boys give Pepero to their crushes...or just people they like...as part of over a dozen "couple holidays" that Korea does during the year.

I think it's sweet...and so uniquely Korean.

Last year, I did not get any Pepero....and as of lunch time this afternoon, I had not received any (well, one student gave me a homemade cookie, but not made Pepero-style, so I am not sure it counts, but the love is there nonetheless).  So, I had resigned myself to thinking that this would be another Pepero-less year for Betsy Teacher.  But, just before the bell rang to release students for the day, some of my best and most favorite students came to bring me Pepero...both store bought and homemade!  I am so touched and happy!

This year's Pepero haul!  ^.^

Media Monday: Sooooo Cool! Joseon Dynasty Ship Found

This speaks to me on so many levels!   This one really gets back to my Anthropology/Archaeology roots!  I wish I knew how to get involved with some archaeology projects while I am here.

Check it out:
http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2996975&cloc=joongangdaily

Apologies

To my most consistent readers,

I apologize for my lack of blogging lately.  In true Korean-style, I have been insanely busy these past couple of weeks.  Also, in true Korean-style, I did not know about many of these things until almost the last minute.

Last week was the school's annual English Speech Contest...which I not only judged, but also edited speeches and served as the test audience and Henry Higgins of it for many students.  That is...I listened and corrected pronunciation for them.  It's easy enough for 3-4 students, but I had, maybe 6-7 students come regularly and another 5 or so that only wanted help one or two times during their preparations.

Then this week I have had 4 classes added to my regular teaching schedule...and had a last minute scramble to prepare a lesson for them.

So, all of this on top of my normal teaching duties, my birthday happened...Happy Birthday to me!  Now, the annual school newspaper (in English) will be published soon and I will be busy editing articles.

But I promise...PROMISE...that I will do my best to get back on track with my blogging.  I know some of you are dying to know more Korean/Hangul. ;)

Until then, dear readers!