당근

당근이니까 당근(Sure)이지

This is one mistake learners of Korean language as a foreign language will unlikely make.

A test answer script of a Korean student was uploaded on a Korean online community site quite some time ago. Foreigners would have no problem finding the right English word for "당근" which is "carrot".  But to Korean students who are exposed daily to "newly-formed words" (신조어, 新造語) in the age of Internet, confusion may arise.

"당근이지" is a slang which originates from the word "당연(當然)하다". It means "sure" or "of course" and uttered when one agrees with his or her partner's suggestion or wants to give assurance that something said would materialise.

I don't view this incident as something particularly embarassing. We all learn from mistakes, don't we? Making mistake is part and parcel of learning something new.

무슨 실수?

그래도 되요? 그러면 안돼요~ (Like that, OK? If like that, not OK~)

When I first saw the above screen capture in a news article, I was wondering, "Is there an error?" I knew there was because of the title says so, but I did not know what mistake it was, really.

Now that I know, it becomes laughable that I did not spot the grammatical error at the first instance. "그래도 되요?" should be written as "그래도 돼요?". I guess, I am equally capable of making such boo boo. My Korean language teacher would have shown her disapproval by saying, "그러면 안돼요~". Well, my excuse will be, "외국인이니까요." (I am a foreigner, you know.)

 

The context of the article can be found in one of the scenes in episode 18 of the SBS's Mon-Tue drama, The Great Doctor (신의), shown on Oct 9. In an attempt to cheer Choi Yung (Lee Min-ho) up after the death of his brothers, Yoo Eun-soo (Kim Hee-sun) did a sudden proposal, placard-flipping style. In order of sequence:

괜찮아요. (It's OK)
옆에 있을게요. (I'll be by your side)
그날까지 (Until the end)
그래도 되요?" (Is that OK?)

To rub it in, Oct 9 was Hangeul Day. Anyway, don't be too hard on a silly mistake. As the Korean proverb says, "원숭이도 나무에서 떨어질 때 있다" (There will be a time when monkey also falls from tree). At the end, it's always the heart that counts.

추석 앞둠

My friend, a Vietnamese, has landed a job, as an event marketing executive, with the Lotte Department Store (Myeongdong). This is her first job after completing her Masters in Hotel Tourism Management at Kyunghee University last fall.

She was recently seen promoting her company's limited-edition shopping vouchers for the coming Chuseok in Yonhap News.

With the biggest Korean festival, Chuseok just around the corner, Lotte Department Store, a dominant player in the market of shopping vouchers, introduced its "Beat-the-Recession-Small-Value Shopping Voucher Package" (KRW 3 million) on the 3rd of September.

Lotte Department Store is also running an event to give away 1,000 limited edition shopping vouchers, which has three 10,000-won vouchers printed on one sheet, on a first-come-first serve basis, to customers who purchase the package.

비슷해도 달라

Below are three common verbs which are similar in form:

1. 흘리다 → 흘려요

2. 흐르다 → 흘러요

3. 흐리다 → 흐려요

Without checking the dictionary, fill in the blank below with the correct verb:

A. 날씨가 _____

B. 눈물을 _____

C. 시간이 _____

If you're not confused, I am. Even with helping words, I am still not certain which goes where sometimes. 

For a long time, I was unable to resolve these three verbs because I never gave much thought to them. Sometimes I thought they were the same. Sometimes, I mistook one for the other. Not only do they look alike, the meaning of  '흘려요' and '흘러요' is also quite similar in a way. They both have something to do with the flow of liquid.

With the help of dictionary, it is quite clear the three verbs are different in meaning:

1. 흘리다 → 흘려요

Definition: 밖으로 내다
('come out' as in to shed or to spill)

2. 흐르다 → 흘러요
Definition: 높은 곳에서 낮은 곳으로 움직이거나 넘쳐서 떨어지다
(move, overflow or drop from a high place to a low place)
 

3. 흐리다 → 흐려요
Definition: 분명하지 않다
(not clear, blur)

Hence, the answers are: A(3), B(1), C(2)

These three verbs are one example of "I thought I know but I actually don't".

말실수

We were required to make a statement each with the grammar (으)러. I made my sentence and read it aloud: 개를 데리고 공원에 산책하러 가요. My teacher's eyes were wide open. It seemed like something was amiss which I was not aware. Then, he asked, "왜 개를 때려요?" (Why do you beat your dog?). The class burst out in laughter. So there you have it, I mispronounced '데리' (to bring) as '때리' (to beat). Poor dog, I didn't mean to 'beat' you when what I wanted to say was to bring you for a stroll in the park.

In an interview to assess my language proficiency, an assessor wanted to know why I was not progressing much despite studying Korean for a long time. I replied, "일이 많고 바쁘느라고 공부를 못 했어요." I thought I gave a satisfactory answer but she pointed out ~느라고 is always used with action verb and 바쁘다 is a stative verb. I was caught with wrong usage of a level 3 grammar. For that, the assessor determined that I should repeat level 3 when I had actually completed it. As much as it was an ego-bruising experience, I never use  ~느라고 wrongly since then.

Those were the times when I wanted to dig a hole and dive in. Despite that, I still believe in what Gilbert Chesterton said, "If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly."

의문

If you have many questions about Korean language which you no answer to at the moment, don't be disheartened. Here is a piece of advice - live with the questions and you will find your answers someday. The answers will come, provided you never give up. If you do give up, there is no wrong to it. Things that you forsake are usually of no importance to the heart, hence, nothing regrettable. Staying on is only pleasant to people who have love for the thing they do. If you like to find the answers to your questions, try finding your love first.



Credits to 'Soothing Mint' for introducing me the enlightened writing of Rainer Maria Rilke ( a Bohemian–Austrian poet and art critic)



하루살이

There is an insect which Koreans called '하루살이'. Translated literally, it means 'one-day life'. This insect, which holds the record as the shortest-living insect, is commonly known as Mayfly. Its existence as a sexually mature adult can be as short as 30 minutes and as long as a day, although its nymph stage (immature stage) lasts much longer, from several months to several years in freshwater. Mayfly exists for only one sole purpose which is to reproduce and one-day life is more than sufficient for it to fulfill that purpose. To human, one day may be too short to achieve anything or is it?

I knew an acquaintance who is a Korean. We were on the same bus trip and by chance, we sat beside one another. Somehow, we had a lot to talk about even though we just met. I have forgotten most of what we talked about but there was one topic I remember vividly.

There was a Korean language problem which I could not overcome. I could not pronounce 'ㅅ' correctly. My teacher pointed out during class that my 'ㅅ' always sound like 'ㅆ'. Strangely, I was able to pronounce consonants like 'ㄷ', 'ㄱ', 'ㅂ', 'ㅈ' correctly, without making them sound like their double consonant relatives. Everyone in my class had no problem pronouncing 'ㅅ' except me. I was an oddball. It was embarrassing as I was already an advanced-level student. My classmates tried to help. One said, "You should pronounce 'ㅅ' with very little force." Another said, "You should pronounce 'ㅅ' with a short tongue."  Despite their help, I still could not figure out the correct way of pronouncing.

The acquaintance I met on the bus was very interested in learning English. I helped her with some of her English expressions and in return, she wanted to teach me Korean. So I asked her to teach me the difference in 'ㅅ' and 'ㅆ' pronunciation. She turned to face me and said, "Look at my tongue." So, I observed her tongue movement carefully. When she pronounced '싸', her tongue was fully extended forward and as a result, her airway was unblocked. '싸' sounded forceful. When she pronounced '사', her tongue was pulled back, making it seemed shorter and the back of her tongue blocked her airway partially. '사' sounded weaker because of partially blocked airway. I knew from that moment,  my problem with 'ㅅ' pronunciation was solved forever.

Our ephemeral meeting lasted for only a day and we never met after that. The meeting was short but meaningful, just like the short life of Mayfly.  하루살이같은 짧은 만남이였다. 그래도 의미가 있는 소중한 만남이였다.

싱그리스 교실

Perhaps, if Singaporeans are taught Korean with Singlish, most of them will find learning Korean a cinch. Well, that's just my opinion. Below are 20 common Singlish expressions which I have had found their Korean equivalents. Who say you can't learn foreign language with Singlish.

Harlow (Hello)
안녕

Siao liao (It's crazy)
미쳤어

Huat ah (...)
대박

Shiok (...)
시원해

How ah? (What should I do?)
어떡해?

Wah lau (Oh my dear)
아이구

Buay tahan (I can't stand it)
더 이상 못 참아

Why lidat? (What's wrong with you)
왜 그래?

Siam (Please give way)
비켜

Kong simi? (What are you talking about?)
무슨 소리야?

Sure or not? (Really?)
정말?

All your fault (You are to blame)
너 탓이야

I blanjar you (The treat is on me)
한턱 쏠게

Where got (You got it wrong)
아니거든

Jialat liao (I am in deep trouble)
큰 일났다

Bak chew tak stamp (Ignorant)
눈이 어두워

Kam siah (Thank you)
고마워

Bo bian or lan lan (There is nothing you can do about it)
할 수 없지뭐

Don’t pray pray (It's serious stuff)
장난 아니야

Anyhow also can (Have it your way)
마음대로 해

Don't ask me where this place is. It's a secret, shhh~~

그때 당시

'Metasequioa Lane' in spring 2006 during my 1-week immersion programme to KHU with fellow NEX students. The programme theme was 'Korea Drama'. That was why we were arranged to visit Nami Island - filming site for famous winter scenes in "Winter Sonata".

The same 'Metasequioa Lane' in summer 2009. Though immersion programme was discontinued after 2006, I was still back in Nami Island. This time, I was with my classmates from KHU's Korean language course. The Nami Island 3 years later was more developed and crowded too.

Nami Island, Spring 2006.

제3회 KLPT도전

Two days after coming back from Korea, I applied for KLPT and today is the test.

The test started at 10am but we were 'confined' inside the exam room from 9am onwards. This may be my third time but I was anything but calm. Instead of saying I was nervous, I should say I was excited. Excited to be back in NEX, excited to meet some familiar faces and last but not least, I believe I have a good chance of getting grade 4 or better.

The test started with listening. The first word read out was "뜨거워요", followed by "오늘은 12월31일입니다 and so on and so forth. There came a time when it became so difficult that I had to pick my answer blindly. As you can see, I still have some more distance to go; i am still not there yet.

40 minutes of listening and 70 minutes of reading but not even half a minute to catch a breath. I kept telling myself "Forget it if I don't know, go to the next question. There is not enough time for me to ponder." When I just completed shading the last circle on my answer sheet, the test ended. It was that close.

Compared to previous tests, there was less guessing work this time. I should have no problem surpassing my previous score of 305 marks. How well I will do is anyone guess. Test results are expected to be out 2 weeks later. Until then, below is how I would grade myself:

Grade 1 - No chance
Grade 2 - Slim chance
Grade 3 - Good chance
Grade 4 - High chance
Grade 5 - Some chance
Grade 6 - Undeserving even if there is chance

싱가폴 어학원 비교

Two years ago, I wrote a post which compares the Korean language courses offered by NUS Extension (NEX) and Singapore Korean School (SKS). Since then, National University of Singapore (NUS) also started its own Korean language programme.

I was recently asked to update my comparison by a reader who is currently an NUS undergraduate. Since I have no knowledge of how Korean courses are run in NUS, I am writing based on what I am being told. All credit for this post goes to the reader who made the request.

Since my last post, NEX's Korean programme has undergone some changes. One siginificant change is that, it is in the progress of changing its Basic-level textbooks to those published by Kyunghee. The duration for each of its Intermediate-level courses has also been lengthened from 32 to 40 hours.

NUS took in its inaugural batch of Korean language students on Aug 2008. Similar to NEX, NUS uses Kyunghee textbooks. I was told that Korean 1 module is highly popular with the students and it is not easy to get a place. As NUS's Korean language students, they have to attend 4 hours of lectures and 2 hours of tutorial weekly. They also get to go for 1-month language immersion programme at Yonsei University during Summer. The bad news is, NUS's programme is only open to its students.

Table 1: This table shows the pegging of the various Korean language courses/modules offered at various Singapore institutions to the standard Korean language proficiency level. As NUS has yet to fully develop its Intermediate-level modules, I have left a question mark under it. It is speculated that NUS may be introducing Korean 5 and 6 in the not-so-distant future.

Table 2: How to read this table - Take the case of NEX, the '150 hours' means the total number of lesson hours require to complete the whole Basic-level syllabus. '60 weeks over 6 sems' means there are six 10-week long semesters. Each semester is considered a course and hence, 6 semesters means you have to pay course fee 6 times. The time in bracket indicates the approximate length of time you will take to complete a level.

From Table 2, I am speculating that NUS's Intermediate-level programme will also be about 234 hours. My teacher, who was the brainchild behind NUS's programme, had earlier envisaged a programme that is between 400 and 500 hours. So, it seems like thing is taking shape quite nicely.

Table 3: This table attempts to give an analysis of the cost-benefit for each of the institution. The course fee does not take into account textbook cost or any discount that may be given. Hour to hour comparison, it is the cheapest to study in Korea. But, if all incidental and opportunity cost are included in the calculation, it can well cost 5 times more (compared to NEX) to study in Korea. From another point of view, over a fixed length of time, it is easily 10 times more effective to study Korean language in Korea than in Singapore. The next question to ask is, so what if it is 10 times more effective when at the end of the day, it cannot be translated to higher-paying job or better promotion prospect. To me, I have a happy and rewarding time studying in Korea and that in itself is priceless.

1. Course fee (per semester) of about KRW1.5 million and an exchange rate of SGD1 : KRW800 was used to arrive at the estimate. The figure is on the high end. But if Korean won continues to appreciate, this figure may become low in future. As a ballpark, it will cost about SGD20,000 (~KRW17 million), with everything included, to study and lead a comfortable life in Korea for 1 year. A low-end estimate will still add up to a 5-figure amount.

구문이 되었다

This is an old news by YTN. I like to watch it from time to time. It is like sitting in a time machine which can bring me back to my past in NUS Extension. The news was made 4 years old ago and that is about as long as I have studied Korean.

The teacher who appears in the video is also my teacher. My study in KHU would not have been possible without her. The Korean langauge programme in NUS's main campus would not have existed if not for her.

The students in the video are my seniors but many became my classmates later. We have since gone separate ways after completing our course in NEX

When I first came across this news, I could not understand a single word in it. But now, I can, and I am quite glad I can. It may be an old news now but a treasured one.

자장면 먹으면서 생긴 생각

Is it call 자짱면, 짜장면, 짜짱면 or 자장면 for this bowl of stir-fried bean paste noodles which originated from China? I am quite sure I saw them all. If you are struggling with the pronunciation of 'ㅈ' and the double consonant 'ㅉ', ordering this noodles at different restaurants will surely make you understand the meaning of '짜증스럽다' before you can even read the word correctly.

This post is written in memory of those days when I have to struggle with my Korean pronunciation. I am much better now but there is still more room for improvement. After getting my pronunciation right, the next thing is to fine-tune my '억양' or intonation. I am doing this by watching news clips and following after the newscaster.

Many people have suggested that I should make more Korean friends so that I can practise my Korean language. I am not against the idea but I have not befriended someone because he or she could be of help to me. Koreans need English more than I need Korean so I have no qualm using English with them. If need to, I can also speak Mandarin with them since the Chinese language is rapidly gaining importance in Korea. Despite that, I believe I can still perfect my speaking though it may take a longer time.

제4회 한국어 말하기 대회

Programme

1400: Commencement

1401: Introduction of Judges
1405: Brief on the rules of competition by Chief Judge, Mr Choi Suk.

1410: First Session of Ten Contestants
1500: Tea Break
1515: Second Session of Ten Contestants
1600: Korean Traditional Dance by SKS Students

1615: Performance by Korean Singer - Lee An
1630: Lucky Draw
1645: Prize Presentation Ceremony
1700: End

Speech Contest

There are something worth noting about this contest. Firstly, the most coveted prize - 2 return air tickets to Korea were given out as first prize. Second prize winners each received a Samsung SGH-F480 touchscreen handphone. Secondly, there were foreigners among the 20 contestants and they are hailed from Myanmar, Malaysia and US. Lastly, the contest was made more lively, with pop music being played while the contestants made their way to the rostrum.

Anyway, among the speeches made, there were two which I listened with interest. The first was made by Contestant 17. She taught the audience 3 methods of getting free food in Korea. In order to understand why I find her topic interesting, one must first understand Singaporean's mentality. Our government has on many occasions painstakingly educated its fellow citizens that there is no such thing as free lunches and if you want something, you will have to pay for it. As such, we have to pay for 반찬 in some Korean restaurants in Singapore. So if you tell Singaporeans that there are freebies, most of our eyes will light up. To Singaporeans, free things are just simply 신기해요!

Here are 3 methods which I have noted:

1. Visit the "시식 코너" or Food Tasting Corner and eat to your heart's content.
2. If you are a girl, say this to a Korean guy: "오빠~ 밥을 사 주세요".
3. Or simply request to eat with the elderly and they will be more than happy to invite you for a free lunch.

The most touching speech of the day should go to Contestant 20.

He is a Korean American, born in Thailand but grew up in US. Life has not been kind to him; he grew up in the shadow of a broken family. He started learning Korean so that he could re-discover his Korean roots and better understand his motherland.

Performance and Lucky Draw

While waiting for the scores to be tallied after all the contestants had delivered their speeches, the audience was entertained by performances put up by the Singapore Korean School's students and the Singapore-based Korean Singer - Lee Ann.

Last year, students from the Singapore Korean School kept us entertained with their "Samulnori" performance. This year they were back again with Korean Traditional Dance. The audience burst into laughter when a boy danced with an exposed chest after failing to re-tie a loose knot. Poor boy, that would probably be one of his most unforgettable stage performance ever. Anyway, even without the 'chest-baring' episode. dance by those adorable kids was still very entertaining.


After the kids, it was singer Lee Ann's turn to keep the audience entertained. Lee Ann is no stranger to this event. He performed in the same speech contest two years ago. Then, he was only starting to establish his foothold in Singapore and the region. Today, he even has his own Singapore's fan club. It is good to see that he is slowing finding his success in this part of the world.

Lee Ann sang 3 songs. After he finished his third song, his fans shouted "encore". However, he told them cheekily that if they want to hear more, they would have to come back next year.


Next, was the lucky draw. Compared to previous years, there were a lot more prizes this year. I lost count of the number but there were definitely more than ten prizes worth about $100 each. The response from the sponsors was extremely good this year probably because the speech contest is linked to the Korea Festival 2008.

Among the audience, Korean kids showed the most excitement when they won. There was this group of Korean kids, who were standing at the upper tier of the auditorium, awaiting eagerly for the winning number to be called. Every time one of them won, the rest would cheer loudly.


Prize Presentation

For the uninitiated, the Korean has slightly more formality when it comes to presenting a prize or award. Prize receipient will have to walk to the front of the Guest-of-Honour and stand still while the content of his or her award certificate is being read out to the audience. Only after that, will the certificate be awarded.

Congratulations to all the prize winners.




The Rest of the Contestants


Group Photo


Working Staff

To all the SKS teachers who worked hard to made this contest a success: 선생님들 정말 많이 수고하셨어요.


Until next speech contest, goodbye!

입학허가서

Today, a speed post from Korea arrived. My feeling was mixed as I was opening the envelope. I knew what was inside because I was expecting it. Somehow I wish it can arrive much later in my life - like when I am 60 years old, retired and have no more responsibility and liability. But the reality has come, so I must go. I guess its destiny beckoning. 운명이라서 어쩔 수 없고요.

TOPIK성적증면서

Today, a registered mail from the Singapore Korean School arrived at my house. It turned out to be my TOPIK Certificate. The certificate shows a slightly different score from what I previously thought. My Vocab and Grammar Section is actually 84 and not 83 marks. As a result, my average is indeed 70 marks as what I heard over the phone the other day. It's a pity that my Writing Section didn't make it pass 50 marks or I will be hitting the roof with joy. I can't say that I am not disappointed but at the same time, I am also thankful that success doesn't come quick and fast. It seems like Grade 4 will still remain a dream, at least for another year. However, my next year target shall be Grade 5 pass. Can I do it? Yes, I can! ^^

3급을 땄다

I finally got to know my TOPIK results after making an international call to the TOPIK customer hotline. I cannot contain my excitement when my results was read out over the phone. I was first told that my average is 70 marks (almost). It caused me to skip a heart-beat because that average is just enough for a Level 4 Pass. But shortly, I was told I obtained a Level 3 Pass. I kinda knew at that moment my Writing Section probably didn't make pass the 50-mark boundary. For verification sake, I requested for each section's marks to be read out. My hunch was confirmed. My Writing Section is one mark shy of 50 and I am also just one mark shy of Level 4 Pass. To obtain a Level 4 Pass, I need an average of 70 marks & above and each section must be 50 marks & above. Nevertheless, I am still feeling ecstatic from my high Level 3 Pass because last year this time, I was told I failed TOPIK Intermediate.

Comparing with last year results, I made improvement in all sections. My two best sections last year, Vocabulary & Grammar and Listening, improve by 7 marks each. My Writing Section improves by 11 marks but still remains the worst. The best improvement I made is in my Reading Section. It improves by a surprising 27 marks. I knew I am going to do well in this section but the extent of improvement still caught me by surprise. I recognise that I have made good improvement in this TOPIK but I am still far from good. There is a lot more to improve for both my writing and speaking. My speaking is probably the worst of all even though it was not tested. I think it is time to fix them.

It has always been satisfying to know that I am making progress continuously. From the first day, it has been a competition between me and myself that I want to win. I am glad that I am still "winning" over myself after 3 years. I have no doubt that I will continue to "win" next year. 마지막 하고 싶은 말: 고급 한국어를 공부하기가 다 준비 됐습니다! ^^

이상한 한국어

Recently, we had a dinner with our ex-Korean language teacher. During the dinner, I sprung a question at her.

"싱가포르에서 살다가 영어 실력이 많이 올라갔어요?", I asked.
(Living in Singapore, has your English proficiency improved by a lot?)

"아니요. 이상한 영어만 말할 수 있어요.", She replied.
(No. I can only speak "strange" English.)

While I thought her answer was kinda "cute", I felt the same way when I have to speak in Korean. I couldn't help muttering to myself, "나도 마찬가지예요. 3년 동안 공부하는데도 이상한 한국어만 말할 수 있어요." (It's the same for me. Even though I have been studying for 3 years, I can only speak "strange" Korean.)

It seems like environment and interest alone are still not enough to master a foreign language. I guess to master a language, it needs to be an integral part of my life. That's my realization from the simple conversation.

회상하면 꿈만 같다