This is just a cute little fluff post since it's been a while and since well I haven't written anything about language yet. Now in my third year of learning this language, I'm starting to like it again. For none language learners, here's a quick explaination:
When you really attempt to learn a foreign language, there are definite phases that you go through. When you first start, you are literally in love with it. Each sound is delicious and new. You love trying to get it just right, almost hearing yourself as a native speaker in your dreams. You learn knew words and grammars like a starving person. When you drink, you speak it even if no one around you knows the language. It's amazing. It's great. It's okay.
It's a little difficult.
Why can't I remember that word?
Why would this language say it this way?
Are you serious, that doesn't even sound like a word.
Now that's just a stupid rule. Why can't I just say it like in English?
They sound so annoying when they talk oh my god I can't stand the sound anymore!
ANOTHER IRREGULAR?! THIS LANGUAGE IS ILLOGICAL!
Eh that might be exaggerating a bit, but seriously everyone starts hating it a little bit. It's because it's hard. It's hard giving up your own hard earned rules and sounds, and once the mystery is gone all that's left is the hard work of practice and memorization. That was my sophomore year.
Now as a junior, I'm in phase three: the whole new appreciation phase. It helps that I'm in Korea, learning Korean, but this stage happens when you've worked on a language for long enough. Now I know enough Korean to sound damn good when I'm drunk. I understand stories, and I sit through 4-6 hours of class every day taught solely in Korean. I live with Koreans. And so now that the sounds, the grammar, and many useful words are drilled into my mind, I can actually appreciate it a little more. I'm remembering vocab more easily, and now I can hear the parts of my pronunciation that need work. But most importantly, I can now see some of the awesome things about the Korean language.
Setting aside the obvious fact that the Korean alphabet (Hangul) is one of the most amazing alphabets ever, Korean also has a knack of creating new words from old ones.
For example, in English, we call the uppermost bed of bunkbeds the "top bunk." Eh. Not exciting. In Korean it's called "이층 침데" which means "second floor bed."
.........That's adorable!!!!!! Screw calling it a "top bunk" when you can call it a "second floor bed!"
And what about those things swimmers wear to protect their eyes? In English, "goggles." But in Korean, "물안경" which translates to "water glasses!" Awww!
One more. In English, "fish," but in Korean, "물고기," "water meat."
So yeah I'm in stage three. It's just a pity that I'm going to be leaving soon, right when I started to feel at home here and really feel myself gaining progress. I think I'll come back here to teach for a while. Outside of the classroom I'll speak nothing but Korean. I think I'll truly be a master one day!
-Sam
