BROKEN LANGUAGE PT. III

so my Korean is getting much better, i can actually communicate with people on a day to day basis now. i can ask “where is the subway” in full korean (instead of saying “subway” and then doing the “shrug” move). i can ask how much things cost (though i still can’t always understand how much they cost when they reply). i know how to say useless things like, “that is a book” and “i am a boy” in a way that is so super grammatically correct that you’ll probably never hear anyone but me (and my classmates) ever say it. the crazy thing is, i picked up the reading pretty fast. i can read most things, but have no idea what i’m reading. i guess that’s technically not reading… it’s more like memorizing and recognizing characters/sounds. it’s all phonetic.

on the conversation side of things, i realized that my class is only going to continue to teach me to say things like, “i am a student, i like steak.” so i got a conversation tutor. she speaks korean to me for about 2 hours and i pay her back by speaking english to her for an hour after that. i’ve asked her to teach me stuff like, “what’s up?” and “whattaya doin?” cause right now, i only know how to say things very formally. my cousin asked me if i was hungry the other day, said he’d take me out to lunch… i think i replied with the equivalent of, “yes my cousin, i am famished, i would love to eat a meal soon.” i get into taxis and i’m like, “good evening, kind sir, i am so very appreciative that you have stopped to pick me up. please take me to my resting quarters in your mechanical chariot.” it’s very extreme like that. i can say those things or i end up getting confused and saying simple things all wrong, like, “i am a book, i enjoy watching pineapples. can i have your phone number?”

it’s gotta stop. i should start listening to some korean hip hop.