One new strategy I’ve begun to use is making flashcards to learn Korean vocabulary words. I realized that I am still relying heavily on the English spelling of the Korean pronunciations, so I made more flashcards to become familiar with Korean letters. Once I become more comfortable with reading and writing in Korean, I believe I will have an easier and more effective time learning Korean words.
The vocabulary words that Prof. Kim has been teaching us include general phrases, such as “Please help me,” “It is delicious,” and “I will eat well.” I found that I knew quite a few of these phrases already, as I have learned them from my years being around Korean speakers. However, the English spelling of Korean words is not completely accurate. There are many sounds in Korean that are not in the English language, so I simply spell it out the best I can. Also, there is a difference between hearing sounds that are unique to Korean and making those sounds. I can identify Korean sounds anywhere, but I still have difficult saying some of the sounds because I have little experience doing so.
In addition to general statements, Prof. Kim taught us phrases from a K-pop song, “Love Scenario” by iKon. I do not listen to K-pop on a regular basis, but as a music student, I appreciated hearing Korean words in a tune because it helps me remember them. However, I am not sure when I will use the words from the song in everyday conversation, as that song has some very specific vocabulary, such as “spotlight” and “melodrama.”
Over fall break, I saw my grandmother and aunt and conversed with them in Korean. Even though I only know a few sentences, they were able to understand everything I said. I also learned some helpful things from them, like when to use certain phrases and in what context. For example, there are two different ways to say goodbye in Korean. It depends on whether you are leaving the other person or if you are staying. Additionally, these terms are very formal, so I would only say it to someone who is older than me. I brought this up with my Korean friend, and she said that in Korea, peers often say “Bye!” to each other in a specific tone of voice. I thought it was interesting to see Korean speakers use an English word so often. But then again, there are many borrowed words from English in Korean.
After talking more with my friends from Korea, I have realized that Prof. Kim is teaching a very formal way of speaking Korean. I know that when I am in Korea, I would rather be too formal with a peer than too informal with someone who is older than me. However, I will be speaking more with peers, so I would also like to learn informal ways of saying things in Korean.
Moving forward, I am going to be using more books to learn Korean. I have checked out Talk to Me in Korean (Level 1) and Essential Korean Root Vocabulary. I think both of these books will be useful in helping me learn Korean vocabulary and grammar.
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