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Korean? Worth it?

KwungSun

Korean's correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there some similarities between Chinese and Korean? So could learning Korean not serve as a stepping stone to learning Chinese as well?

No.

Korean is an isolate and ditched the Chinese script 50 years ago. Its probably more similar to Japanese in a way. Probably....

Reply 21

A Stranger in Moscow

12

generalebriety

Who cares? I'm learning quite a few languages just for the hell of it, languages don't have to be "useful" to be interesting. Depends what your aim is in learning it.

That's like 3 things I've seen you say that deserve rep. I need to remember to give you some soon.

Learn whatever the hell language you want. I'm sure "most Koreans" that "speak English" would love it if you showed a bit of effort and talked to them in Korean. If you like Korea, and are interested in it...well...go for it. Learn French as well, if you like.

Reply 22

KwungSun

13

gaijin

No.

Korean is an isolate and ditched the Chinese script 50 years ago. Its probably more similar to Japanese in a way. Probably....

Really? Hm...I know a few Koreans who speak passable Chinese, so I guess they must have just learned it separately then? Or do they teach it in schools?

Reply 23

gaijin

1

Goldenballs

I was going to study French, but then I realised how useless a language was in terms of career prospects, as I really want to pursue a career in investment banking or law. I then enrolled for a foundation degree in Broadcast Journalism at Wolverhampton University. I really don't see the point in any languages, let alone Korean. Sorry.

Statistically I have greater chance of getting into banking or law with my degree in an Asian language from a redbrick. Broadcast Journalism from a former polytechnic won't get you a sniff in any half-decent investment company or law firm.

But thanks for playing anyway.

Reply 24

Hyeree

gaijin

No.

Korean is an isolate and ditched the Chinese script 50 years ago. Its probably more similar to Japanese in a way. Probably....

yep

finally ditched chinese!! after such a long time! ^^
although hanja (chinese characters with korean pronunciation) is still compulsory until 9th grade in korea... but i havent learnt it....

so if a korean person goes to china, he/she can read the signs but not speak the language... hahaha!

Reply 25

gaijin

1

KwungSun

Really? Hm...I know a few Koreans who speak passable Chinese, so I guess they must have just learned it separately then? Or do they teach it in schools?

Maybe. A lot of Koreans are very good at Japanese due to similarity in pronunciation. I'm quite surprised by how many Koreans speak almost fluent Japanese. I honestly couldn't tell they were Korean unless they told me.

Reply 26

KwungSun

13

gaijin

Maybe. A lot of Koreans are very good at Japanese due to similarity in pronunciation. I'm quite surprised by how many Koreans speak almost fluent Japanese. I honestly couldn't tell they were Korean unless they told me.

well, they look kind of different, but yea.

Reply 27

Hyeree

KwungSun

Really? Hm...I know a few Koreans who speak passable Chinese, so I guess they must have just learned it separately then? Or do they teach it in schools?

some koreans learn chinese because it is a "big" language..
they learn it separately though.. take some course or whatever..
some special schools teach it though, but not all.

Reply 28

SpiritedAway

17

UAG

All koreans i met in uk spoke english so learning it would be a waste of your time

so, every german i've met speak english, but this doesn't stop me from learning it.

i'd say go for it OP, if you enjoy it, then you'll find something useful with it.

Reply 29

notepad

OP

10

thanks you guys for the help !! And Hyeree, my korean friend studies Chinese at her school too but it is a specialist language school/college i think . . .

Reply 30

xJessx

18

Good luck! Korean sounds exciting, it's just a shame I know nothing about it lol.

Reply 31

Hyeree

notepad

thanks you guys for the help !! And Hyeree, my korean friend studies Chinese at her school too but it is a specialist language school/college i think . . .

probably. in my gap year i went to pusan foreign language high school
4 departments. jap, chinese, french, german.
beginner levels ofc but some of them were really good at their languages.. mostly chinese and japanese though..

i was drawn to the school by its name.. thought it probably has classes in english... enrolled there .. nah *hmmf*

Reply 32

notepad

OP

10

Cool! I would like to go to such a school although I probably won't take a language on fat uni (as a degree)
anyway, anyonelse have a view on this matter?

Reply 33

Hyeree

what do you want to study ? just out of curiosity :P

Reply 34

Hikari

1

I'm learning Korean now as a summer thing, and i'm also going to be doing it as joint honours at SOAS :biggrin:

I'd say it's useful - South Korea is a major economic power and one of the wealthiest countries in Asia. It had one of the world's fastest growing economies since the 1960s, now highly developed and the fourth largest in Asia and 13th largest in the world. It is also leading several key industries in the world, particularly in the fields of science and technology.

Good luck!

Reply 35

notepad

OP

10

That must be so exciting for you, doing Japanese&Korean at SOAS, I have heard great things about them! I think I am going to study it (soon) at least as a beginner for a while . . . probably start french after haha :P For now I am just excited to read what other people have to say on the matter

Reply 36

username51312

15

How big is the difference bertween south and north korean languages?

Reply 37

gaijin

1

UAG

How big is the difference bertween south and north korean languages?

North Korea doesn't use any of the older characters and some words are spelt and pronounced differently. However they are mutually comprehensible.

Some would argue its more like separate dialects.

Reply 38

LesterFreamon

1

Goldenballs

I was going to study French, but then I realised how useless a language was in terms of career prospects, as I really want to pursue a career in investment banking or law. I then enrolled for a foundation degree in Broadcast Journalism at Wolverhampton University. I really don't see the point in any languages, let alone Korean. Sorry.

Your reasoning being?
You'd probably have a better chance in IB doing a language than that.

Korean? Worth it?

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