I am becoming much more familiar with reading Korean. Many of my Facebook friends post status updates in Korean, but I have never been able to read it before. Now, I am actually able to read what is happening in their lives! I also learned some Korean slang from their posts. I am more interested in learning everyday phrases that I will use often, rather than vocabulary from scholarly sources. However, I often read Korean words without knowing what they mean. There are a few times when I can read the Korean words and actually understand them. I am still happy with my progress, because I have the basis for learning more Korean vocabulary quickly and efficiently. I often think of learning a new language as opening a door that I could not before and seeing what lies behind. At this point in my Korean language learning process, I feel like the door is open just a bit and I am excited to see more of what’s inside.
Quizlet has proven to be very helpful in expanding my vocabulary. Last week, I was focusing on basic vocabulary words, such as “food,” “age,” “hobby,” and “family;” and basic conversational phrases, such as “excuse me,” “I’m sorry,” and “I will eat well.” It is interesting that I am finding it easier to hear the Korean word or phrase and give the English translation than vice versa. I suspect this is because there is something in between my memory of the Korean words and my ability to say them. Since I can understand Korean when it is being spoken to me, I know the words and what they mean. However, I have difficulty thinking of them in my head and saying them. Writing this reflection has made me realize that I am first becoming more comfortable with reading and listening. My writing and speaking skills will improve more as I progress.
I am still developing my ear for hearing sounds that are in Korean but not in English. During these past two weeks, Jenna was teaching me how to say “___ years old” in Korean. It was challenging for me to hear how some of the words were pronounced. This is especially due to the fact that many Korean words are technically said one way, but in reality, Korean speakers do not enunciate them. This is an important part of learning a language, because sometimes, native Korean speakers will not understand a foreigner who says something in Korean technically how it is supposed to be said. While this makes it confusing to remember how words are written versus how they are pronounced, the purpose is to make Korean words easier to say. When the Korean language was being created, it was done so that Korean speakers would not have to put in too much effort into saying the words.
I have achieved my goal of becoming more comfortable with reading and writing Korean letters. Moving forward, I want to learn more basic vocabulary words and phrases. I will continue to use Quizlet to commit these to memory. I will also take time to read my friends’ social media posts in Korean.
Comments
Thanks for the cool update on your Korean learning. I am also learning Korean and becoming better at reading and writing in Korean. I also agree that quizlet is a great tool to help practice and learn new Korean words. I am glad that you are becoming more comfortable with listening to Korean and hearing sounds in Korean that are not in English. One of the words that always gets me is Eu and E. I hope you continue to practice your skills and keep improving in Korean writing, reading, and speaking.