It seems that I am always humbled regarding my Korean skills during the semester. Person to person conversations in Korean are much more comfortable than when I try to speak Korean in class. And there is still a percentage of students who can understand me while there is also a percentage of people who can't seem to understand me. When this happens (Being humble as far as my Korean ability is concerned) there is always a process of soul-searching for me.
So I'd like to invite my students to join me in this quest. What do you think of my effort to speak Korean? Does it help you understand what I am trying to say in English, better? Is it sometimes as difficult to understand as when I speak in English? Does it keep you from learning English? Do you feel like I am trying to learn more about speaking Korean than I am trying to teach you in English?
Example: When 브렌트 말는 grammar 잘 it is 도와주는 to me for 그는 to speak 한국말. 그런데 때 Professor 더크스 speaks Korean 나쁘다 I 싶다 him to speak 쉽게 English.
ReplyDelete브렌트s English name is Brent.
ReplyDelete말는 means "speaks".
잘 means "well".
도와주는 means helpful.
그는 means he.
한국말 means Korean.
그런데 means but.
때 means when.
더크스 is Brent's English family name in Konglishized form.
나쁘다 means bad.
싶다 means want.
I think that when Brent (Professor Dirks) speaks Korean in class, it is easier to understand what he is trying to say. But he needs serious help with his pronunciation and intonation. In fact, if he will give me an A+ I will teach him how to speak Korean perfectly.
ReplyDeletePlease TRY to speak in English. Thanks.
ReplyDeletename:Park Ji Seon(njs789@hanmail.net)
ReplyDeleteI want to be like the professor.
And teaching English to Korean English to nothing but the best thing I think is much more to teach English. But you use your flexigility to teach English to Korean also seems to be a good professor 협동. When you using Korean something. It's go cute & fun. 확실히 classes focus on.
Finally, Mr. Brent !! relax while on holiday(추석). I hope to your more cultural experience of Korea(더 한국적인 문화적 경험을 하기를 바랍니다.)
student Park Ji Seon
Ji Seon,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words.
Now lets see if someone else has a different perspective.
And what in the world do those Korean words mean?:)
You also have a relaxing Chuseok consecutive holiday, JiSeon.
name: Min Ji Hye (me2n@hanmail.net)
ReplyDeletefirst, Hi Brent professor!! I am very happy that you invited us in your blog.
I read your top message. I think like this.
I think that we think difficult english. so we couldn't hear english well.
But, If professor explain in detail do a translation into Korean, we understand very good, we don't afraid english!
of course!! we study hard in english!! But professor help us, we more than interested english!
Sometimes we needed that professor trying to learn more about speaking Korean than professor trying to teach you in English
Brent Professor have a relaxing Chuseok!!!
Thanks for all the kind words about my speaking in Korean. Isn't it sometimes more difficult to understand my Korean than when I speak in English? You all seem to beat yourselves up for not speaking English as well as you think you should. But somehow you've learned to speak English quite well. I envy you at this point.
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for someone to translate what Jiseon Park has said in Korean.
Hi,professor.
ReplyDeleteGreeting you in your blog feels different.
When I read this message,I think about
professor speak in Korean. If, I don't
understand that your speak.
Your speak korean for I can understand.
I think that. Also, we can easly know.
So, thank you that Your deep think for
students of all class.
Min Jung,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that my efforts to speak Korean in class influence you in these ways.
Anybody care to chime in on the negative aspects of my Korean efforts?:)
P.S. "Chime in" means to join the conversation (대화에?).
Hi, professor.
ReplyDeleteWhen seem your question, I think good that your speak Korean.
This is understand easier for me.
But this could is a bad effect my english.
So, many korean speak stop, but understand help english than a few of Korean.
Have to the happy 추석.
I think if we don't understand your speaking english, then it needs to speak in Korean too.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think speaking both is needed.
I like your english speaking and korean speaking.
I want to enhance my listening(english) skills.
As well as speaking too.
We are not a native speakers. So we don't understand about your speaking. However, you speak in korean, it is easy to understand your speaking.
ReplyDeleteBut you are always speak korean. So, my english skill isn't improved. I want to enhance my english listening skil.
So i think when you talk with us in scereen english class, professor has to speak in english.
Jiyoon,
ReplyDeleteI'm having a little difficulty understanding what you said. I think you are saying that I should limit how much Korean I use so that you will be forced to understand what I am saying in English, right?
As you know, this is very difficult for me, especially because I tend to speak English at a very high level. But if I train myself to speak simple English as I am learning to speak Korean, perhaps this will help you more.
I think I agree with you that a little bit of Korean is needed. But we all know that I don't speak Korean very well so I wonder if this is more exhausting than if I just spoke in English.
Thanks for your feedback.
Jiyeong,
ReplyDeleteAll these comments about my Korean-speaking make me feel good. Thanks. I wonder if anyone will tell me how bad my Korean is to my face.:)
It sounds like you concur with Jiyoon that a little of both is needed.
Maybe I'll start paying more attention to how much you understand of what I say and how much you are speaking.
How does that sound?
Hyemi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your candor about my speaking Korean in class. I think I want to speak Korean as well as you all want to speak English. I really appreciate you pointing this out to me.
Of course, you know the reason for this is that it is frustrating when I speak and the majority of the class doesn't seem to understand.
I hear the message loud and clear. SPEAK MORE ENGLISH AND WHEN WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THEN SPEAK IN KOREAN. Is that right?
Brent~!
ReplyDeleteThat is what I wanted to say.
I`m glad that you've understood my intend(의도).
I worried about misunderstanding.
Thank you for considering my opinion.
I like that you speak Korean .
ReplyDeleteEspecially "만약 ~ 사람들은~ "
Sometimes your Korean explanation is hardly than English.:)
But your korean ability is more fluently than my English ability !
So I like both~
Hi, professor?
ReplyDeleteDid you have a good time 추석??
I am very sad because i haven't seen the 보름달
Today, I read the 'trying to speak in korean in class' in your blog.
I am very appreciative of that your speak in korean in class.
You explained korean one more time when i don't understand your word
and you wrote korean and english together send by e-mail.
Your effort to speak korean is help me understand in class.
thank you professor!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete[Jeong Hye Ji]
ReplyDeleteHow are you? I was so excited in 추석.
My free talking time is 4:00pm in Monday~!
So I would tell story in 추석.
but I will forget that days's diary.
I borrowed novels in school's library.
Because It will boring that I don't take a my time.(시간을 유익하게 보내지 못해서)
I helped my mother at the day, and the night I read one of the borrowed books.
Today, I completed that read books all.
So, I am of use that times.
I have to go to class tomorrow.
I took the times happy.
How about your 추석? I curious to hear from professor.
Have a Goodnight, sir ^^
Brent, you know that I am a beginner that want to learn english. Often I am mistake and use konglish. And so I am often shameful. But I am enjoyable because of your humor and passion to us. Your unskillful korean is relaxed me.
ReplyDeleteJiyeong,
ReplyDeleteI'm also glad I understand your intended meaning. Would you also like to be the English police? This means it is your job to say, "Hey, you! Yes, Mr. Teacher, I'm talking to you! This is English class. Your job is to make sure we are able to understand and speak English well.":)
Jeonghee,
ReplyDeleteYou win the award for being the most candid about my Korean. I am learning that you are right. My Korean is more difficult to understand than my English. Sometimes I have awkward conversations with people who can neither understand my Korean nor my English. Now that's a serious problem.
And I'm not sure my Korean is any better than your English. Are you being modest here? How do you know?
Chanmi,
ReplyDeleteWhere have you been spending your time this week? I am near Seoul and I saw the full moon last night. How come you couldn't see it?
How much of my Korean e-mail that I sent recently could you understand?
Hyeji,
ReplyDeleteTalking about your Chuseok during free-talking sounds like a good idea to me. Just be ready to tell how your Chuseok was different from all other Koreans' Chuseok.:)
시간을 유익하게 보내지 못해서 means you can't spend time productively?
Why are some people talking about having to go to class tomorrow (Sunday)? Is this typical in Korea to have to make up a class that you miss because of a holiday? I'm used to schools that plan for these missed days on their calendar so you don't have to make anything up.
Kaejung,
ReplyDeleteYour Konglish is okay with me. I'm sorry for the times I don't understand you. It's not only you. Yesterday, I went on a long hike and the Korean I was with understood the Korean man I didn't know who was trying to make conversation with me. He said "good mountain" and I thought he said "큰 mountain".
I'm trying to be more relaxed in class this semester. How am I doing?
professor! You should asking the other foreign professor.
ReplyDeleteOr You will taking a interest Korean drama or movie or song.
I listening Japanese radio studied Japanese language.
The beginning I don't understand but now I understand. (a little)
I think your korean is better than last year. (but my Englsh...)
I sometimes confuse when you use korean.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you feel confusion when I speak English.
We are another nation. so do not worry!
If I don't understand your English, Please talk to slow slow. so, I try to understand your English. bye~♡
Your Korean ability is good to us.
ReplyDeleteBecause, It is helpful to usderstand something during the class!
I think that your clss method(korean speaking) is dkey. when I can't understand your speaking's mean, 옛날엔 그냥 skip.. But lately I tty to understand your speaking's mean. I have lean. Keep it up, Brent ! Fighting ! Bye~
ReplyDeleteJihyun,
ReplyDeleteWhen we have had meetings with foreigner professors, they also struggled with methods for teaching the class. But I will seek out your advice. We aren't so strong in the collaborating category.
Did you listen to Japanese radio on your own? I think that learning a language is more enjoyable in a small-group setting. And for myself, learning a language independently is even more fun.
Songwon,
ReplyDeleteYour advice is good advice. Let's both keep trying to speak each others' languages. And when we speak our native language, we should speak slowly (I will speak slow in English and you can speak slow in Korean).
Miryeong,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words. Do you have any suggestions on how I can balance out speaking English with speaking Korean?
Mirae,
ReplyDelete옛날엔 그냥 means "a long time ago, I just...", right?
Thanks for trying to understand me. I remember when you said in class a long time ago (in Korean) that you couldn't understand my Korean.
Thanks for trying to understand. This blog has informed me that I sometimes TRY to speak a lot of Korean and not enough English. So I'm trying to be fair to you all and speak more English.
I understand your speaking 대략적으로.
ReplyDeletebut I don't understand accurately.
so Professor's Korean ability help when I don't understand English word's means.
but I think if professor speak english slowly when I don't understand word or sentence, you don't have to say Korean. It also help my english ability's 향상.
I think that yoru trying to speak English in class is good.
ReplyDeleteBecause i don't understand your speaking sometimes.
But you speak Korean 함으로써 i understand all.
So i satisfaction your speak korean.
SaRang,
ReplyDelete대략적으로 means "roughly". And that is probably a good word for how much everybody understands including those closest to me. May I ask you what makes it difficult for you to understand exactly? That is probably a good word to express how much I understand from my students. It has been suggested to me that I study Korean grammar so I am going to search for a book that explains Korean grammar in detail in English.
I've tried to speak more English in class than before. How am I doing?
향상 means improvement or progress. Students often use it with the meaning of "upgrade".
Eunju,
ReplyDeleteDoes 함으로써 mean "thereby"? Thank you for your kind words.:)