I guess I'm just out of touch, because I'll never understand the impulse to insert gibberish you can't even pronounce into songs. Nor will I get the irony of using faux-English to sound more trendy and worldly to a domestic audience while appearing increasingly ridiculous to those who actually use the language. And, it's important not to forget the effect the clowning-up of English has on learners whose primary instructors are singers, actors, and other teachers will little to no command of the language, and whose native speakers are themselves depicted as clowns in local media.
Because you can't teach English without having a ridiculous white person. Godforbid you actually have Korean learners approach the language with respect. More on that despicable show later.
I don't think it's snobbish or elitist to bring those points up, or to cringe each time something ordinary like "tell me," "okay," or "nobody" becomes a catchphrase.
6 comments:
The E.T. bit makes me giggle . . . nice find Brian.
kimchi-icecream
I'd be curious to find out why you get so irate with these examples of non-sensical use of english in Korea. Is it really because you feel that Koreans are disrespecting Americans and other English speaking people by doing so? Maybe, but overall your run of the mill average Korean looks up to America with a great deal with respect. Heck, the Japanese took over the country and raped and enslaved a great number of its people and still Koreans respect the Japanese. I mean, think of it this way, Koreans are as power hungry as anyone else on earth, and America is the most powerful country on earth. So that's not really hard to figure out. So I guess you can say, these koreans look upon America with 95% respect and awe, and the remaining 5% of the time they disrespect America's language because its always being shoved down their throat, and you you know, nobody likes to get anything so foreign shoved down their throat. My guess -- this is my guess -- is that that approximately describes the truth.
JW - I don't think that the Koreans respect the Japanese. We have a Japanese teacher (who is fluent in English) at our school and the parents showed up at her house to complain.
As for Koreans respecting Americans - none of the children at our school treat any of the foreigners with the same respect they grant thier Korean teachers.
Equating a mutual want for power as show of respect is a silly statement. Also, how exactly are American shoving English down their throats? By easily letting English Teachers come to their country? - umm no. By taking the advice of people who speak English? - not in my experience.
I agree with Brian that the English words made Korean are the most horrible. Make up your own word for "hand phone"- especially since Americans don't use the term and the Korean language doesn't have the letter F.
Why don't you ever get irate with Korea? Because your Canadian and ... I won't even insult your country the way you attempted to insult mine.
Hi Candee
I'm not sure if you're thinking that I'm canadian, but in any case, I am korean-american to be exact. Just a couple things. Yes, Koreans obviously lack sensitivity when it comes to dealing with foreigners -- especially when the perception is that somehow they are encroaching on "their turf" -- but otherwise they really do like America a whole lot in general. Older folks still appreciate the fact that Americans saved them from the grips of Imperial Japan, and younger folks are just dying to get a chance to study in America. One other thing that I think is not fully appreciated by some foreign teachers is that they are being paid and courted to teach a foreign language that Koreans hate to learn but in any case is necessary for their survival. Not a big surprise that things will get ugly in this situation and lots of ugly throwing up and crapping out. But to ridicule these stressed out Koreans for not handling well this unfortunate situation --what I belive to be an over the top emphasis on English education, from the standpoint of the people who are the speakers of that foreign language, is a bit crass in my opinion.
That big nosed Isaac English teacher is such a fucking dick.
Koreans respect the Japanese? Are you out of your fucking mind? Koreans hate them! Maybe you should come to Korea and stop blogging from LA with that Crown J asshole
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