I have learned a lot this semester, not only of the Korean Language but also of its culture and how to learn a new language. The SDLC 105 class really gave me more knowledge of linguistics and the basic building blocks of a language. On the other hand, my conversations in class with my language partner and my fellow classmates allowed us to discuss cultural topics (cultural with the small C) and also current events in South Korea that reflect the Korean Culture with the big C. Since there are many overlaps of culture between South Korea and China, and I was fortunate enough to have previous knowledge on its culture, it wasn’t very difficult for me to explore the culture. It was, however, a meaningful time because I got a chance to ask questions that I have always wanted answers to, such as how does the “Korean age” work, or how does informal and formal speech work. This class allowed me also to build a relationship with my language partner, which will make it easier for me to ask her more questions on the language and culture outside of classrooms. I will continue taking this course next semester and I will also try to practice using Korean during my break by watching Korean Reality Shows and memorizing Korean Slangs and Idioms.
I personally think looking at language families and how the language interconnects with history is really fascinating. Looking at how the Korean language developed and how the increased use of loanwords connects with different historical events further showed me the significance of certain events and their impact on Korean society. For example, Chinese Loanwords in Korean are deeply embedded and hard to trace due to the time span of Chinese Culture’s influence on the Korean Peninsula. Whereas Japanese loan words and English loan words can be tracked to the period of Japanese Colonialism and the establishment of trade deals between South Korea and the United States. It was also very interesting to look at Language preservation. Prior to this class, I thought the importance of language preservation was merely to prevent another diminishing human artifact. The interview with the language preservationist made me realize the underlying factors and all the potential loss of scientific knowledge when a language dies.
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