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This may seem like a worksheet for a child in kindergarten but because I am a beginner in the Korean language I thought it was appropriate for me. I thought these simple worksheets would serve me best because they help with writing and reading the alphabet which is one of my goals I set myself for this semester. This particular worksheet is for spelling native numbers.
Artifact 3 - Introduce yourself and family
Hello! My name is Eunbin. I have a younger sister and I have an older sister. My older sister lives in Blacksburg, my younger sister lives in India, and my mother lives in India. My older sister is a student and my mother is an engineer.
Artifact 2- Questions and answers about identity
Hello! What is your name?
My name is Eunbin
Eunbin are you American?
No, I am Indian
Are you a student?
Yes I am a senior
How old are you?
I am 22 years old
Artifact 1 - Greetings, Farewells, Introduction
Hello! My name is Eunbin (my Korean name gifted by My Korean teacher). I am a student and I am a senior. I am an Indian. Bye!
My learning experience has been eye opening. I learned vocabulary much easier than I thought I would. I still find it hard to remember vocabulary despite practicing it however, I have progressed farther than I thought I possibly could. Looking back at my first reflection for 105, I mentioned I was a bad language learner because of my memorization skills. Learning the Korean alphabet was as easy as I expected it to be even though I struggle with the harder vowels. According to the FIRE model, I am a rational learner as well as a bit of a factual learner. I realized when I was learning the Korean alphabet and vocabulary, I tended to use story-telling and mnemonic techniques to memorize them. Through this course, I found that, practicing it every day made it easier to learn a language rather than just hearing it every day without proper studying. I was, of course, aware of this simple concept before I even signed up for this course but practicing it in terms of language learning was different. In other words, I finally believed this concept. The phone apps really helped particularly because they were easily accessible at any time of the day. The articles from Talk to me in Korean really helped me in my learning process as well because they were easy to understand and I did not need to access them too often once I got the basics down.
When it came to learning culture, I was a bit surprised with myself. I learned that I approached culture differently. For instance, I never thought of time as a cultural factor. I grew up in India which is a laid-back country, not very strict with punctuality so when I came to the US, I was a bit taken aback with the emphasis on time keeping and punctuality. Back then I thought India was wrong because they did not have the same mindset when it came to time as the US does. After having studied and learned about different cultures through presentations and readings, I now understand that it is a matter of perspective and therefore, culture. It is not about who is right or wrong because neither is right or wrong. It’s just a matter of culture. Growing up, I knew imposing one’s culture on the other was wrong but I saw it through the medium of colonization. This course showed me that even in the little things like how daily life is conducted based on time there is not right or wrong and there should be no imposing of one on the other.
When it comes to language I plan to use story-telling and mnemonic techniques more because it has proved to be successful. I also plan on developing a regular practice habit not only in hearing but actual studying and regular testing if I have to learn a language again.
Trying to write in Korean has been easier than reading in Korean especially in times when my brain is not at its prime functioning hours. For example, trying to read Korean after I had just woken up proved to be harder than usual. However, compared to the beginning of the semester, reading Korean has become relatively easier, perhaps because I am more used to attaching sound to a symbol. I may not understand what I read but I am still able to recognize the sounds of the words most of the time. I do not know why writing is easier. Perhaps because I have already seen the word when I read it so it I can access it in my head as I write it down even if I know the sound does not match the spelling. Reading is tougher because sometimes the Korean alphabet that sounds like ‘g’ in the word ‘kimchi’ sounds like ‘k’ even though it’s a ‘g’ sound or a ‘t’ sound even though it's a character that sounds like ‘s.’
Frankly, these readings were surprising because I do not go through the same “bilingual experience” as the articles discussed and I am a bilingual speaker. However, I should add that I am not a professional in either language, that is, English and Khasi. Apart from these studies mentioned in the two articles, there was another study done that showed children who are bilingual are more likely to be empathetic than children who know only one language. This is because children must learn the context in which specific terms are allowed and such. The study mentioned in the article by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, discussed the ability to track changes in the environment which made me wonder if being bilingual increases one’s ability to multitask. I do not know if this would make one smarter or more intelligent but it would definitely improve daily functioning.
So far, I have learned vocabulary on introductions (like my name, my age, I am a student), family members, numbers, and time. I learned it using Riel Korean app, Learn Korean app, Talk to me in Korean website, Learn Korean website, Korean Class 101 website and How to Study Korean website. I do not know if I will be able to learn enough vocabulary to reach my goal of being able to have a conversation with my Korean friend partly because I have poor memorization skills. However, what I have learned so far is good enough for a beginner’s level of conversation in Korean. Perhaps with more practice, I will be able to remember more vocabulary.
When a language is lost, culture is lost with it. In the case of the Siletz people, their dance and songs were also rooted in their language. When their students were sent to schools where English was mandatory and any other language was discouraged, it was a direct shot at tribal culture as well. Culture and language are so intertwined that you cannot have one with the other. People communicate through language and one’s culture is reflected in how one communicates. For example, in Korean, the notion of hierarchy in the culture is so ingrained that there are specific ways to speak to elders and strangers as compared to friends. Therefore, the preservation of languages is necessary, however, this is a whole different obstacle. Creating online dictionaries and having one or two people alive maintaining a language is not enough. This is because the two people cannot count for all the language laws (grammar, etc), also, a page of words and their meanings is not enough because it does not discuss sentence formations or grammar laws. It would be tough to document and preserve all languages of the world especially if people of that language are dying out but nonetheless, that does not discount the importance of preserving languages.
Knowing the history of a language is helpful when it comes to learning the language because it helps us understand how the alphabets and number system came to be. It is always helpful to know the background information of a topic. For example, in the case of the Korean language, it was easier to understand why the Korean language had two number systems and why the alphabet is written in symbols when I learned about how the Chinese dominated Korea for a while. Learning about how the literate preferred Chinese, made it easier to understand how different number systems were used for hours and minutes. Learning about the origins of the Korean alphabet may have made it easier to learn the alphabet, but it was useful in understanding the culture of Korea which indirectly influences the language overall. This is why it is important to learn the history of a language.
After having learned Korean this far, I have come to understand that the language is a reflection of the culture. Therefore, it is so important to study both. Even the history of the language is important to understand the language usage. When I learned about the era when China dominated Korea, It was easier to understand why the Korean language had two number systems and why the alphabet is written in symbols. Also, because of this knowledge, I understood why Korean words are written in blocks.
Learning about the formality and politeness of the language made me understand the hierarchy present in the culture. How one addresses a person is based on age and status. It helps categorize or identify people and inform the speaker how to behave towards the other person they are communicating with. The Korean language is a hierarchal language because it lets everyone who is listening know where they fall in terms of age and status. Respect is a huge part of Korean culture and the language reflects this. The language also reflects the mannerisms of a person, that is, if one does not use formalities then he/she is someone who is ill-mannered, which is a reflection of the individual’s culture. The method by which family members address one another is another reflection of culture. The fact that one’s uncle on the mother side or one’s aunt on the father’s side have their own specific name is a reflection of the emphasis of the family. It is a reminder of the collectivist nature of Korean culture.
I need to improve my levels of communication competence in all factors, that is. I have to improve my interpersonal communication and listening, my interpretive reading and listening, and finally my presentational speaking and writing. I can improve my interpersonal communication by working further with my friend who also studies the Korean language. I can improve my interpretive listening and reading by learning new vocabulary and using extensive resources to work on my listening skills. For my presentational speaking and writing, I can practice my writing by dictation or similar activities and take the time to speak with my friend.
Unlike the United States, which emphasizes on the individual, Korea is a collectivist society. The family unit is an integral part of customs and life. Marriage is considered as a rite of passage, this could be why arranged marriages are common. Divorce used to be rare in Korean culture but has become more common. In 1995, 73.7% of 11.1 million households were two-generation households while one-generation 14.7 %. Traditionally, the eldest son holds the extra responsibility to his family and it is expected that he will be the one to take care of his parents in their old age. Parents put greater effort to provide education for their children because of this. Children of the family are expected to obey, cooperate and respect their elders. Strict gender roles are the norm in Korean family culture. Sons receive different treatment from their parents than daughters which contribute greatly to the strict gender roles in South Korea.
http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/south-korea-guide
Korea was considered to be a polychronic society, that is, daily life did not revolve around time or schedules. However, lately it has developed to be a moderately monochronic society, that is, it is gravitating towards becoming a clock obsessed culture whose daily lives revolves around schedules and time. Time in Korea is an essential part of the culture but not as serious as it is in the United States. People in Korea place emphasis on being punctual. For example, in business meetings, punctuality is important because it is a sign of respect. If one is late it appears as if you do not respect the other person’s time enough to show up on time. One should call ahead if one is late. However, it would be normal for Korean executives to cancel appointments on short notice or show up late because of their busy schedule unless it occurs often then it is a sign that they are not interested. Punctuality is important when it is business related or when it is the first meeting. However, according to some blogs written by some Americans who have visited Korea, this is not the case. Koreans take about 15 minutes to an hour long to get to their appointed meeting. These American bloggers suggested that Koreans expect foreigners to be punctual but do not put the same expectation or pressure on themselves or their own people. Perhaps Korea is a monochornic society when it comes to business affairs but polychronic when it comes to other things.
http://blowfishtastesgoodifitdoesntkillyou.blogspot.com/2010/03/topics-punctuality-in-korea.html
http://blogs.koreanclass101.com/blog/2008/06/12/okay-so-ill-meet-you-theremaybe/
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2013/08/181_61763.html
This semester, I was able to learn a lot of the Korean language as well as picked up a few things on Korean culture. I am glad I learned that a big part of the Korean culture and language is based on formality and politeness. I had no background knowledge on the Korean language apart from a few words here and there I heard while watching Korean dramas. I very much enjoyed learning the Korean alphabet because of the article Are found. It made learning the alphabet so much easier and fun. I learned the basic vocabulary on how to get by when I come across a Korean, which was my goal at the start of the semester. That is, I learned how to introduce myself, talk about time and the weather. I learned how to talk about myself as a student and my routine in the University of Richmond. The hardest part of this learning process was memorizing the two number systems, partly because I have trouble remembering things, as I mentioned earlier.
I used this week to learn something to meet my personal goal, which is, to be able to have a small conversation with my friend who is Korean. So, I went through all my vocabulary that I have learned this semester. I also looked up vocabulary on food and how to order. The Learn Korean app provided vocabulary on this. I also learned how to say, “Bill please!” and how to say, “This is delicious.” The app also provided vocabulary on how to say “Cheers!” I met with my friend and went through the vocabulary. She taught me how to order food in Korean from JKogi. I still need to work on it but I got most of it down.
This week I continued to work on past tense conjugations because I needed more work on this. I also looked up vocabulary on weather using the Learn Korean app. This app also provided tools to know how to ask what the weather would be like tomorrow or today. It also taught me how to comment on the weather. For example, it taught me how to say, “It’s so hot!” - 너무 더워요. I met with my friend she listened as I described the weather.
This week I worked on past tense verb conjugations as well as continued to work on present tense verb conjugations. I used an article from Talk to me in Korean, Level 8 lesson 9, that discusses the basic past tense verb conjugations. I then used Learn Korean Languages and their section on Verb Tenses and this really helped me understand the present tense verb conjugation. I also used the Rieul Korean app that provides tests for verb conjugations for past tense. The app helped me test my past and present tense verb conjugations. Past tense verb conjugations are harder than present tense verb conjugations because I don’t know how the final verb turns out after I place the 샀어요. For example, 사 + -았어요 would have thought 았어요 comes after 사 to make 사았어요 but it was 샀어요. The 사 and 았 are combined. This is the hard part for me when it comes to putting the two together. It is easier to remember that adding 았어요 means conjugating it into a past tense form but the actual conversion is hard.
I learned a lot from the Cultural presentations the class gave. I especially learned about the difficulties a student faces in Korea. For example, the presentation on the job application process was shocking. It was hard to believe that adults in Korea must go through so many processes just to become an unpaid intern. The suicide rates reflected the difficulty of the application process. It made me wonder why students have not rioted against this application process. The exams middle school students must take was another shocking discovery. These presentations made me wonder how young people in Korea have not had riots or rallies to change the situation. I want to know study the psychological effects produced by the schooling and the job application process.
I learned a lot about my cultural topic. I focused on stringed traditional instruments used in both North and South Korea. I was amazed to see how much effort and time goes into making some of the instruments. The work put into it reflects the importance of traditional music for some of the South Koreans. I cannot say all because traditional music is not something everybody in South Korea is interested in. The variability in stringed instruments alone amazed me because these instruments were developed so long ago. For example, each piece of the gayageum has to be made separately using different materials. If the main body of the gayageum is not dried properly, the sound would differ drastically. I was happy to see that these traditional instruments are being brought back to life by people who use them to do covers of modern day songs. This way, traditional music, which is a language in a way, will not die out. Hence, traditional music culture will be able to live a little longer.
This week I worked on present tense word formations and continued to work on vocabulary with introductions, hobbies, family, and routine. I used Learn Korean Languages and their section on Verb Tenses as well as an article from Talk to me in Korean (level 1, lesson 16) which really helped me understand the present tense verb conjugation. I also found a new app called Rieul Korean app that provides tests for verb conjugations for present tense. The app also provided information on formal and polite verb forms, however, this confused me a lot so I stuck to the very basics of what the article from Talk to me in Korean wrote about. It is pretty straightforward but I still need to work more on present tense verb conjugations.
