Comments on: English craze as a modern Korean tradition http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze/ The Korea History Group Blog Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:29:23 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: 외고 왜가? or, Why Go? » The "English Craze as a Modern Korean Tradition" http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze/comment-page-1/#comment-5555 외고 왜가? or, Why Go? » The "English Craze as a Modern Korean Tradition" Tue, 05 Dec 2006 01:11:55 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze-as-a-modern-korean-tradition/#comment-5555 [...] Is the English craze really such a recent phenomenon? As a scholar studying the history of national identity, I know how much more of Korea’s notions of modernity are really rooted in the earlier part of the century much more than people think. Here’s another, far more accomplished scholar’s take on the subject of the “English craze a a modern Korean tradition.” [...] [...] Is the English craze really such a recent phenomenon? As a scholar studying the history of national identity, I know how much more of Korea’s notions of modernity are really rooted in the earlier part of the century much more than people think. Here’s another, far more accomplished scholar’s take on the subject of the “English craze a a modern Korean tradition.” [...]

]]> By: Jon Allen http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze/comment-page-1/#comment-2442 Jon Allen Sun, 10 Sep 2006 01:26:29 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze-as-a-modern-korean-tradition/#comment-2442 If they love english so much, why do all their T shirts have such dodgy english on them ? I've been collecting the strange combinations they dream up : http://seoul-man.blogspot.com/2006/09/convex-magnum-opes.html It's interesting that they never have any hanguel on their T shirts too, why would that be? Someone was telling me about an article about the Korean corporate catch phrases in so called English that mean nothing too, but I can't find a reference at the moment. If they love english so much, why do all their T shirts have such dodgy english on them ?
I’ve been collecting the strange combinations they dream up :
http://seoul-man.blogspot.com/2006/09/convex-magnum-opes.html
It’s interesting that they never have any hanguel on their T shirts too, why would that be?

Someone was telling me about an article about the Korean corporate catch phrases in so called English that mean nothing too, but I can’t find a reference at the moment.

]]> By: Noja http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze/comment-page-1/#comment-2335 Noja Thu, 31 Aug 2006 15:20:46 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze-as-a-modern-korean-tradition/#comment-2335 No, what I meant was that "Pravda" and the likes of "Newsweek" are basically following the same model, which we may call "propagandist" - although I do not deny that "Pravda" was much cruder. Both old Soviet and "mainstream" American outlets spoke in the voice of power - so the Soviet murderers in Afghanistan were "fulfilling the internationalist duty", while American/USA-hired murderers in Iraq and elsewhere (the list is too long....) are promoting "enduring freedom" or, at best, go on a botched mission ordered by well-meaning, but somewhat erring "Presidents" and "Prime-Ministers". That the rightful place of all these "Presidents", "Vice-Presidents" and co. is in the dock in the Hague, is not something you find there. And my question is - why should the Korean kids, bewitched by the sheer "prestigiousness" of the language, take the "party line" media so seriously? They are throwing away their own dignity, their self-respect as thinking humans, that is all. No, what I meant was that “Pravda” and the likes of “Newsweek” are basically following the same model, which we may call “propagandist” – although I do not deny that “Pravda” was much cruder. Both old Soviet and “mainstream” American outlets spoke in the voice of power – so the Soviet murderers in Afghanistan were “fulfilling the internationalist duty”, while American/USA-hired murderers in Iraq and elsewhere (the list is too long….) are promoting “enduring freedom” or, at best, go on a botched mission ordered by well-meaning, but somewhat erring “Presidents” and “Prime-Ministers”. That the rightful place of all these “Presidents”, “Vice-Presidents” and co. is in the dock in the Hague, is not something you find there. And my question is – why should the Korean kids, bewitched by the sheer “prestigiousness” of the language, take the “party line” media so seriously? They are throwing away their own dignity, their self-respect as thinking humans, that is all.

]]> By: Cosmin http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze/comment-page-1/#comment-2334 Cosmin Thu, 31 Aug 2006 13:28:13 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze-as-a-modern-korean-tradition/#comment-2334 I found the post to be over the top - especially the analogy with Russians reading Pravda. As far as I know, Koreans study English because they want to get rich, to have a better life. I have no doubt that many more will learn Chinese, as China's economy continues to grow. The Russians who gathered 'round for Pravda readings lived in a society deprived of freedom, where you could easily be put in prison for speaking your mind. Perhaps the author wants to imply that the economic power of the English-speaking world is similar in its effect to the terror spread by the KGB in Russia and elsewhere. That, to my mind, would be rather absurd. One can express worries about the English craze without losing a sense of perspective. I found the post to be over the top – especially the analogy with Russians reading Pravda. As far as I know, Koreans study English because they want to get rich, to have a better life. I have no doubt that many more will learn Chinese, as China’s economy continues to grow. The Russians who gathered ’round for Pravda readings lived in a society deprived of freedom, where you could easily be put in prison for speaking your mind. Perhaps the author wants to imply that the economic power of the English-speaking world is similar in its effect to the terror spread by the KGB in Russia and elsewhere. That, to my mind, would be rather absurd. One can express worries about the English craze without losing a sense of perspective.

]]> By: Noja http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze/comment-page-1/#comment-2193 Noja Tue, 22 Aug 2006 08:10:34 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/korea/2006/08/english-craze-as-a-modern-korean-tradition/#comment-2193 I do not have the exact reference in front of me, but, if my memory serves me right, I think that Son ChOngmok's study of colonial Korean city puts the number of relatively fluent Japanese speakers at around 25% by 1945. Most of these people went at least through the first classes of futsu gakko - the "normal" primary school. Of course, the number of these who managed to enter kotoo futsu gakko and take some English classes, was incomparably smaller. But what I wanted to emphasize, was the fact that these chosen few - who were the movers and shakers of colonial Chosen's intellectual, business and administrative worlds - were already under some influence of the global hegemonic system well before 1945. As to lingua franca - it may be true for science, although before 1945 it was rather German than English. It is true for business so far, but the amount of Korea's trade with Chinese-speaking world is now twice the amont of its trade with the US, so things may change. As to diplomacy in our parts of the world, I challenge you to try to work as a diplomat at a Korean embassy in Beijing, Hanoi, Tokyo, or Moscow for just a few days without speaking the local tongue. I do not have the exact reference in front of me, but, if my memory serves me right, I think that Son ChOngmok’s study of colonial Korean city puts the number of relatively fluent Japanese speakers at around 25% by 1945. Most of these people went at least through the first classes of futsu gakko – the “normal” primary school. Of course, the number of these who managed to enter kotoo futsu gakko and take some English classes, was incomparably smaller. But what I wanted to emphasize, was the fact that these chosen few – who were the movers and shakers of colonial Chosen’s intellectual, business and administrative worlds – were already under some influence of the global hegemonic system well before 1945.
As to lingua franca – it may be true for science, although before 1945 it was rather German than English. It is true for business so far, but the amount of Korea’s trade with Chinese-speaking world is now twice the amont of its trade with the US, so things may change. As to diplomacy in our parts of the world, I challenge you to try to work as a diplomat at a Korean embassy in Beijing, Hanoi, Tokyo, or Moscow for just a few days without speaking the local tongue.

]]>