This week was really fun because I focused on food, one of my favorite things, ever! I learned the words for different tastes like spicy, sour, salty, sweet, etc. I also learned phrases that express being content with the food, and phrases that describe the quality of the food. Next I focused on describing the textures of different foods. Then I learned phrases for complimenting the cook, criticizing the food, and for explaining that I am full, but would like to keep eating. Lastly, I learned some expressions about asking a cook or waiter to make my food a certain way. I find that these phrases will be extremely useful when I study abroad in Korea and go out to eat, or even if I just want to practice. I documented all of this in my notebook, and I learned over 20 phrases. I used a Youtube video by SweetandTastyTV (which has become one of my favorites). I am really happy with my progress this week! (:
Kristen Mejia's Posts (24)
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This week I focused on language task #6 and my language goal for week 9, which were numbers and dates. I first started by learning numbers 1-25, 30, 40, 50, etc. in both the Sino-korean system and the native Korean system. Then I began learning the months, then the days or the week, and then the numbers of days in a month. Afterwards I moved onto the structure of the dates, like where the number, day, and month are positioned. Lastly, I learned phrases such as "what day is it today?" and "what day is it [today]?" This concept was slightly harder than telling time, but it wasn't too bad. I took very detailed notes, so whenever I kept getting confused, I looked back and was able to correct myself. I found that I really liked learning through YouTube videos. They are more entertaining than just reading a text on how to do something. For this concept I used a SweetandTastyTV video.
This week I focused on telling time and asking questions about time. This was by far one of the most detailed lessons I went through in order to understand how to express time in Korean. I started by learning the words for minutes, hours, etc. Then I learned which number systems to use for the different units of time (minutes and hours). After that I learned the expression for things like "in the morning," "in the afternoon," "midnight," etc. I also learned what hours of the day are considered morning, afternoon, evening, and dawn. It was interesting to see the contexts in which certain phrases about time could be used. Furthermore, after understanding how to tell time, I learned phrases such as "what time shall we meet?" and "What time do you wake up?" I documented all of this in my notebook and throughout the week I practiced telling the time in Korean whenever I spotted a clock or looked at my phone. I was feeling little discouraged when I first started with this concept because it was pretty difficult for me to get the hang of, but I want to keep working to get better. Luckily I found a youtube video by SweetandTastyTV, which broke down all the steps, and made my learning a lot more dynamic, fun, and easier.
I have been having so much fun learning Korean so far! I really feel like I have found a strategy that works well for me and every time I learn something new, I become excited to keep learning more. I don't think that I would change anything in my learning plan, but perhaps I could try to spend more time weekly to keep practicing what I have learned so far. I plan to keep writing in my journal and practicing both my writing and verbal skills. I really like supplementing my language learning with my cultural learning—one cannot go without the other. Overall, I feel as though I am making good progress and I am being as elaborate as possible.
This week I focused on language task #3 and my language goal for week 6, which was conversation starter questions and introduction questions. I learned how to ask questions about identity and overall wellness, as well as learned how to answer these types of questions. I learned 15 phrases and responses and I documented them in my notebook in Hangul, as well as in romanizations, to make sure that my pronunciation is correct. I got most of my information from Koreanclass101.com. Some of my favorite phrases were: 어떻게지내세요? (How are you?) and 이름이뭐예요? (What is your name?) Overall I am very happy with the progress that I am making and I think my strategies for language learning have been working so far. I am excited to keep moving forward!
I think my first artifact went fairly well! Even though I was pretty direct with my phrases, and there wasn't much creativity put into my execution, I think it was a good first attempt at displaying some of what I have been doing in my studies. I am confident in these phrases, and I am pretty sure that my spelling and pronunciation was correct. I am happy with the progress I am making when it comes to writing in Hangul. Originally my handwriting was really big and sloppy looking, but I have been working really hard to make it look as nice as possible without taking too long. My tasks for week 4 and 5, I think, were fine. I learned a lot and I will continue to practice what I have learned.
This week I was working on learning common phrases. My goal was to learn at least 15 common phrases that I could use on a daily basis. This week's task slightly overlaps with my second language task, but I tried to be a little bit more elaborate this time around. I wrote my phrases on index cards and I ran through them a couple times per day and I practiced writing them down in my notebook as well. I used NAVER for many of my phrases, and I also found a few phrases on Omniglot.com that I thought would be useful. It felt really nice to be able to pronounce the phrases correctly and to be able to write them without constantly having to check myself for accuracy. I feel as though my strategy for learning these phrases was efficient, but I hope to find better ways as I go along this process. I think this week's task will help me to eventually become more comfortable with longer and more complex phrases/sentences. I also focused on week 5's task of learning pronouns. Instead of writing what I learned on flashcards, I decided to write in a notebook because some of the pronouns needed extra explanation of when to use them, and formal in informality information. I think I will begin writing more in notebooks instead of on flashcards. This way I will be able to highlight important information, and everything will be condensed in one place. This task was slightly more difficult for me because of differences in first person, second person, and possessives. I will get it eventually though! Overall, it was a good week.
This is an audio recording of me introducing my family and myself.
This artifact is a made up text conversation with a pen pal that I am just getting to know. She is asking me basic identity questions and I am responding. Here is a translation of the short conversation.
Yoona: Hello!
Me: Hello!
Yoona: What is your name?
Me: My name is Kristen.
Yoona: How old are you?
Me: I am 19 years old.
Yoona: Where are you from?
Me: I am from the United States
Yoona: Where do you live?
Me: I live in New Jersey.
Yoona: What year are you in?
Me: I am in my first year.
I learned so much during everyone's cultural presentations! I was very interested in learning a little bit about the gendered aspects of Hebrew, as well as the differences between formal and informal speech in Korean. Furthermore, I was intrigued and impressed by Diego's presentation on traditional Korean weddings. I am studying Korean as well and that is an aspect of the culture that I have not focused on yet, but the differences between Korean and Western weddings was really fascinating. I also had a fun time "walking through the market" while learning some phrases in Wolof. Lastly, Jessica's presentation on Korean school culture was super interesting. I already had some background on what high school culture is like in Korea, but Jessica took it to the next level and really dove into the specifics and I appreciate how elaborate and detailed her presentation was. Overall everyone spoke very well and seemed excited about what they were talking about.
Overall Korean Family Culture:
Korea is a very community centered nation, and that reflects in their family culture. When it comes to the family unit, members of the family are not really considered individuals. Family members are more concerned with cohesive happiness instead of having their own autonomy separate from the group. Koreans believe that when family members are independent, they are being set to to live a very lonely life. Overall, close family ties and a sense of dependency are extremely valued.
Another big concept of Korean family culture is that children are seen as being in debt to their parents for giving birth to them and for taking care of them. This debt is said to be repaid in a few ways: treating parents respectfully at all times, taking care of parents in their old age, mourning them well at their proper funerals, and performing ceremonies for them after their deaths. Although these are all extremely important, full payment is not considered received until the son has a child and continues the family line. The concept of a family line or legacy is extremely important in Korean culture. Koreans believe that birth and death are not necessary the start and beginning of life. They believe that every lives through their predecessors as well as the generations that come after death. The majority of these traditional family values come from traditional Confucian principles of family organization.
Traditional Korean Family:
"Harmony and smooth flow of affection were seen as the result of proper patriarchal regulation of women and children. The family should be run as a 'benevolent monarchy,' the eldest male as household head. Sons remained home after they married, while daughters went to live with their husbands' families." Young children in Korea are indulged and usually aren't disciplined until they are about 6 or 7. One of the first things they are taught is how to speak politely to elders. They are also taught how to read and write Hangul. On the other hand, girls weren't taught how to read or write, and they usually didn't learn the alphabet either. Girls were also taught that they are inferior to elders and their brothers.
Under this old system, parents usually arranged the marriages for both males and females. Usually the children would have absolutely no say in who their spouse would be. Furthermore, since men stayed home after marriage and women went to live with a new family, marriage was usually traumatizing for women. New wives had a duty to please their new husbands, but especially the mother-in-law. Mother-in-laws usually boss the wives around and instruct them to do the housework and any tasks that need to be done. It is also considered extremely disrespectful to speak out against the mother-in-law. The position of a new wife is not secured until the married couple have a son.
Changes to the Family Structure Since the 1960's:
Since most Koreans live in cities and work in factories at this time, larger extended families couldn't fit into a small city apartment, so families began to be a little bit more spread out. There was a new emphasis on having stronger husband-wife relationships. Furthermore, under the New Civil Code of 1958, numerous cultural reforms were made. For example, now eldest sons are able to leave the house, husbands and wives share the power to educate and punish their children, young adults can decide on their own marriages, younger sons can leave to form their own families, all children have equal claim to their parents' property, and love matches are no longer frowned upon. Although love matches are becoming more accepted, arranged marriages are still very popular. Casual dating is also more acceptable and prevalent, however, most of the interactions between males and females are in groups. Moreover, the family still retains a male house head, sons still inherit more than daughters, and children are still legally responsible for taking care of their elder parents. Although many Confucian principles are still at the core of Korean family values, the dynamic of the Korean family and the many elements that pertain to it, change a lot through the course of time and other societal changes.
https://asiasociety.org/education/value-and-meaning-korean-family ;
In South Korean, the concept of time is slightly different than in the United States. "Korean Time" refers to the widespread tardiness or, more specifically, the relaxed attitude with which Koreans approach appointment times (The Korea Herald). In the United States it is considered rude to be late to formal appointments, dates, and even meetings between friends. However, in South Korea, it is standard to be slightly late when it comes to meeting times. It is usually not necessary to give prior notice to a friend that you are going to be late, and being as late as an hour or more, is not uncommon. Furthermore, being late is so uncommon and normal that it is often that people use phrases like "You can come late too." Furthermore, some even give their friends a meeting time of an hour before they actually want to meet in order to them to get there roughly around the same time. This is in compensation for the habit of being late. In addition, the Korean attitude about time has affected the way people talk about time. For example, when friends talk about what time to meet, they usually use languages such as "what time, roughly?" The "roughly" is an indication that there is no stress on a specific meeting time.
There is no real consensus on why Koreans are so relaxed about times, but many believe that it has to do with how Korean ancestors organized time. For instance, starting at 11 p.m., the day was split into 12 units of approximately 2 hours each. This means that a meeting time that is set for the sixth hour would be any time between 9:01 a.m. and 10:59 a.m. Also, under a later organization of time, the 2 hour intervals were divided by 8 parts which were 15 minutes each. Some believe that this is the reason why Koreans are usually 15 minutes late.
Culture Project Topic: Korean Street Food
My culture project topic is Korean street food. I chose this topic because although Korean culture has numerous important aspects, I wanted to focus a little bit more on a more lighthearted cultural concept. Street food is sold all over Korea and many foodies are attracted to Korea because of the many different food selections. In my presentation, I not only want to talk about the many types of Korean street food, but I also want to talk about the etiquette that should be used when trying to purchase street food. I am getting the majority of my information from numerous Korean food blogs, as well as Youtube channels that specialize in Korean street food. I look forward to presenting!
Korean Table Manners
In Korean culture politeness is extremely important and it translates into almost every aspect of Korean life, especially table etiquette. Here are a few standard rules for Korean table manners.
1. WAIT TO BE SEATED
- When you are dining with others, you should wait for your seniors or the eldest person you are dining with to sit down first before you take a seat. Also the honored guest, usually the oldest person at the table, sits in the seat farthest from the door.
2. BEFORE YOU BEGIN
- It is polite to say that you are looking forward to the meal in a way that indicates that you are grateful for the person that made the food because you are eating well because of them. This is usually expressed as 잘먹뎄습니다 (Jal meokgessuemnida): "I will eat well"
3. BEGINNING THE MEAL
- Wait for the oldest person to pick up their utensils before you start eating
4. DURING THE MEAL
- Do not blow your nose at the table! Excuse yourself and go to another room to do it.
5. DON'T LINGER OR RUSH
- Try to eat at the same pace as everyone at the table, especially the elders. It is more enjoyable for everyone to eat at the same time and finish at the same time.
6. SOUP AND RICE BOWLS
- Don't tilt bowls, keep them on the table at all times.
7. DOUBLE DIPPING
- Take enough for yourself but make sure that everyone else has enough to eat as well. Try not to touch food if you are not going to eat it.
8. REFILLING YOUR GLASS
- Always pour drinks for others first, especially elders. The usual time to refill someone's glass is when it is half empty.
9. OFFERS OF ALCOHOL
- It is considered impolite to refuse an alcoholic beverage that is offered to you, especially when an elder offered it.
10. ACCEPTING DISHES OR DRINKS
- When someone (your senior) offers you a drink, hold out your cup with both hands to accept. You do the same thing when receiving dishes or any other table items.
11. POURING DRINKS
- When you pour a drink for your senior, place your other hand lightly under your pouring hand or under the opposite elbow.
12. PLACEMENT OF UTENSILS ON THE TABLE
- Do not stick chopsticks straight up into your bowl because it resembles traditional ancestor ceremonies and because it is a symbol of bad luck.
13. DON'T WASTE FOOD
- Do not take more food than you can eat because it is considered wasteful. Also, it is polite to clean your plate. (Eat all the food)
14. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR HOSTS
- It is customary to acknowledge your thanks after the meal
- You usually say 잘 먹었습니다 (Jal meokeossseumnida): "I ate well"
The standard writing system in South Korea is Hangul (한글). It was created by King Sejong in the 15th century. Just like the English writing system, 한글 is composed of both consonants and vowels, however, 한글 also incorporates double consonants that make a more emphasized sound than the other consonants. There are 14 consonants (jaeum: 자음), 5 double consonants, and 21 vowels (Moeum: 모음). Hangul letters are grouped into syllabic blocks, vertically and horizontally. Also, words are read left to right, top to bottom.
The 14 자음 in order are :
1. ㄱ (Giyeok)
2. ㄴ (Nieun)
3. ㄷ (Digeut)
4. ㄹ (Rieul)
5. ㅁ (Mieum)
6. ㅂ (Bieup)
7. ㅅ (Siot)
8. ㅇ (Ieung)
9. ㅈ (Jieut)
10.ㅊ (Chieut)
11. ㅋ (Kieuk)
12. ㅌ (Tieut)
13. ㅍ (Pieup)
14. ㅎ (Hieut)
The 5 double consonants in order are:
1.ㄲ (Ssanggieok)
2.ㄸ (Ssanggdigeut)
3.ㅃ (Ssangbieup)
4.ㅆ (Ssangsiot)
5.ㅉ (Ssangjieut)
The 21 모음 in order are:
1.ㅏ (A) 11.ㅐ (Ae) 21.의 (Ui)
2.ㅑ(Ya). 12.ㅔ (E)
3.ㅓ (Eo) 13.ㅒ (Yae)
4.ㅕ (Yeo) 14.ㅖ (Ye)
5. ㅗ (O) 15. 와 (Wa)
6. ㅛ (Yo) 16. 왜 (Wae)
7. ㅜ (U) 17. 외 (Oe)
8. ㅠ (Yu) 18. 워 (Wo)
9. ㅡ (Eu) 19. 웨 (We)
10.ㅣ(I) 20.위 (Wi)
Since my language plan starts on week 4, I focused on solidifying the information for my 1st and 2nd language tasks during my 3rd week. In order to learn "classroom/survival language" and "greetings, farewells, and introductions." For task learning 1, I primarily used an online source: Koreanclass101.com. This source provided me with the Korean words for objects such as pencil, notebook, desk, etc., as well as romanizations, and example sentences that included the new vocabulary words. I liked this source because it also included recordings of someone saying the words and example sentences so that I would be able to practice my pronunciation. Furthermore, in order to complete my second language task, I referred to multiple websites and created flashcards with the Hangul form, romanization, formal/informal, and English meaning of the phrases. When I finally got all the information written down I took a few minutes each day to practice reading and saying the phrases.
Bowing is a big part of Korean culture and is a common method of showing respect. It is also used when saying hello, thank you, goodbye, etc. In order to show more respect, it is common to bow lower and holding that position. The longer one maintains a bowing position, the more respect it shows. However, when simply greeting a friend, a slight head bow/tilt is enough to show your fondness and respect for that person. Slightly deeper bows (작은절 jakeunjeol) are appropriate when meeting someone for the first time or when greeting your boss. Furthermore, the bow that demonstrates the greatest amount of respect is the "big bow" 큰절 (keunjeol). The 큰절 is used only for special occasions that require the most respect, such as on Lunar New Years and the Harvest Festival. Lastly, a "big bow" is typically used by a man when asking his fiance's parents for her hand in marriage.
https://seoulistic.com/korean-culture/when-and-how-to-bow-in-korea/ ;
