hangukeo 2.0

Last year I wrote a post about how little of the Korean language I spoke. If I recall correctly, my fluency extended not much further than saying "hello", "goodbye", and "do you want to die?".

"Do you want to die?" is still my most oft-used bit of the Korean language. I say it often to kids, and they get a real kick out of it. I'll typically use it when they are being disruptive or didn't do their homework. I'll clench my fist, take on a comically serious countenance, and grumble "Chu-ga-lay?!?"

My post last year bemoaned my lack of Korean, this post here is to kinda brag about it.

I didn't realize how much Korean I knew until I returned here. During the first week or two it all flooded back to me, and I've made an effort at expanding and building upon what I already know. I do that by using my students as Korean teachers, and by watching episodes of The Simpsons subtitled in Korean and typing the Korean subtitles into the Korean-English dictionary on my cell phone.

It's worked well for me. Well enough to the point where when I encounter drunken Koreans out and about during my daily life, our conversations take place more in Korean than in English. 50-50, at least.

Regardless of the progress I've made, the most handy bit of Korean I know is still "Hangeung mal-reul molayo" (I don't speak Korean). Well, either that or "Due-gae mek-ju chusaeyo" (two beers, please).