How I Learned to Read and Write Korean

My adventures in South Korea began with an important language lesson
我學會韓文的好玩方式 - 我在南韓的冒險旅程從一堂重要 的語言課程開始

After university, I decided to move to Daegu, South Korea, to teach English for a year. All my research told me it wasn't necessary to learn Korean. I thought I would need to study it, but every website, blog and forum  said no. So when I left for Korea, the only Korean word in my vocabulary was kimchi. When I arrived in Seoul, I felt baffled by the unusual Korean writing. Lines and circles were everywhere I looked; only some were translated into English.

On the bus ride to Daegu, Korean was on every sign we passed. It bothered me that I couldn't read anything. I looked at the bus ticket in my hands - more lines and circles My eyes settled on one symbol - it looked like a phone hanging on a wall. I decided to play a game of I Spy with myself. I searched the passing scenery for this same symbol. Later I would discover this symbol, the "symbol" is the first in the name "Daegu, my new home.

The first word I learned to read in Korean was bibimbap (food cook in the stone bow), a famous Korean dish. My Irish coworker taught it to me at a restaurant. "It's easy to find on a menu," she said. "It has so many 'b' sounds in the name. " She wrote out the whole Korean alphabet and described how to put letters together. I learned that the letters go together to form "blocks," or syllables. Blocks go together to form words.

From then on I learned written Korean quickly. Every day held dozens of opportunities to practice. I sounded out words I read on subway ads. I sounded out items on menus. I even sounded out movie titles that appeared on TV. It became a fun game! My students loved it when I wrote Korean and helped me learn even more.

Learning to read and write Korean didn't equal fluency. Most of what I read I didn't understand. But mastering this small skill was a big step in adjusting to my new life in Korean.

Grammar Gym:
"Learning to read and write Korean didn't equal fluency."
"equal " - One plus two equals three. (math.).
"equal" - to be as good as....
Having a higher job position equals greater responsibility.
Poor time management at work equals less productivity
Having the latest technological gadget does not equal being cool.
Being rich does not equal being happy.

Vocabulary Tips:
forum -针对某个议题的论坛或是讨论会。针对那个议题用“on ”。
*Representatives from many countries attended the forum on global warming.
forum -toward a special topic to display one's thinking.
*The website is a forum on political issues.。。。讨论政治议题的平台。
baffle - to be confused, don't understand it at all. 令人困惑的，令人不解的。
direction baffled me。 I am just baffled.
*The software's complicated installment procedure really baffled me.
baffling (adj) -
*There seems to be no reason for her baffling symptoms. 看来似乎没有任何理由。。
settle on -目光落在某处。或注视某处。
settle -定居。
*the director's eyes settled on Melody, a brilliant and magnetic performer.
scenery - beautiful nature, or things passing by when you on the bus that every thing you see. 风景，风光。景色，景致。周遭的环境。
*The photo can't capture the beautiful scenery of the valley.美丽的山谷。
scenery -舞台布景。
*The musical's scenery was designed and built by the seniors.舞台布景。。全是高三学生做的。
coworker - 同事，尤指同一个部门或执行同一个案子的同事。co -‘一起‘
*Marian used to be my coworker at IBM.
colleague - coworker.同在一间公司上班的同事。
*George and his colleagues are throwing a "welcome-back" party for their boss.
syllable - 音节sy -lla - ble : sound three syllables.。每音部都有单独发音的母音。
*The word "attack" has two syllables.
*The stress of the word "computer" is on the second syllable. 重音在第二音节。
*When you say the word "debut" accent the last syllable. 重音发音在最后音节。
antidisertablishmentarianism -音节最长的字。
sound out - read it out with sound.念出来，发声读出来。说出来，发音。
*It's hard for some people to sound out the "r" sound.
*Chelsea tried to sound out the complicated word. 复杂的。。
fluency ( 不可数n) -know a language very well, can communicate with others.流利，流畅。对语文的认识和发表上的畅顺。
fluency in - 在哪方面很流利。
*William's fluency in English helps him excel in his job.
fluent (adj)-流利的，流畅的。
*frank is fluent in three languages.
everywhere one looks - everywhere you look, all over around you.
translate - make a language into another language.
I spy myself - I play a spy game with myself.
play spy game - one person pick an object, give out clue to another person, let another person to guess the object.

Language Tips:
after university - 大学毕业后。
university/college -大学。
after college = after university.
I go to college - (not say I go to university.)我 上大学。
college student - ( we are not saying 'university student.) 大学生。
university-比较大的学院，有好几个学院。同时也提供高级学位。university also provide advanced degrees:
master's degree -硕士学位。
doctoral degree -博士学位
college -小学院，只提供一个学位的。

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subway - 在地底下的通道，道路。
subway - （英）供行人过马路用的地下道。
subway - （美）地铁。
the New York City Subway -纽约市地铁。
the L =the elevated.芝加哥的地铁是建在街道之上的高架桥，不在地地下的。叫“ the L"
the Underground = the Tube. 伦敦的地铁。
the Metro -华府，巴黎，和墨斯科的地铁采用metro. "the Metro"来称地铁。


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