Learning the Korean Language and Writing
August 23, 2009
My partner got back from his business trip to South Korea today and brought me two books for learning Korean, one in Mandarin and one in English. The English book is called The Korean Conversation (1) : The Korean Conversation Within Theme and I have to say that the title and preface will give you an idea of what’s in store. I’ve made a few photos of some choice phrases which had me and my partner in stitches. 
That last sentence has a very philosophical feel to it. Maybe I shouldn’t “pessimize” too much about the “desperate language”. 
It surprises me that they didn’t ask a native English speaker to proofread (or should that be “rewrite”) the book before publishing it. Learning Korean is a challenge in itself without struggling to figure out what the English sentences are supposed to mean..
If anyone knows the proper English translations of the sentences listed above, please let me know.
Entry Filed under: Books, Humour, Korean. Tags: funny translations, Humour, Korean.
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1.
Tasha | August 23, 2009 at 7:43 pm
After a few years of study, I think I can help you out with these…
Left to right, top to bottom:
“Is your hobby playing golf?”
“Because of I work I don’t have much time to study.”
“Did he really help the orphans? Not as such. As you can see, they are still orphans.” (It’s an awkward sentence to begin with.)
“In the future, you really shouldn’t be so pessimistic”
“Hearing that kind of desperate talk starts to upset me.”
2.
Tasha | August 23, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Oh, left out the last one:
“That’s right, it’s said that ‘Inscrutable are the ways of Heaven’, isn’t it?”
(인간만사 새옹지마 is a proverb of sorts which is generally translated as “Inscrutable are the ways of Heaven”)
3.
Kelly | August 26, 2009 at 6:11 pm
The sentences about the orphans were a little out of place in this phrasebook.
Thanks for translating the sentences for me. I think you would have done a much better job than the person who wrote that book!
4.
Tasha | August 26, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Thank you! I hope to make a real job out of that someday, what with Korean being my specialization