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Korean: Fluent in 200 days | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| Lugh Diglot Newbie Korea, South Joined 5410 days ago 10 posts - 13 votes Speaks: French*, English Studies: Korean | Message 1 of 14 22 May 2011 at 8:53am | IP Logged | |||||
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So!
I hereby proclaim that in 200 days, I shall be fluent in Korean. *dodges rotten tomatoes* Yes, I am aware that this is a ridiculous objective, but stick with me for a while. Last September (2010), I started learning Korean at Ewha (이화여자대학교) and for various reasons, I did not work as hard as I should have. While I still follow the courses this semester as well, soon I will be leaving South Korea and return to Hong Kong but I am not satisfied with my current level that I estimate to be a A2. This is why I decided to start this log to keep track of my improvements (hopefully there will be some...) and remain motivated during the coming months So here is my goal: Reach Basic Fluency in 200 days (08/12/11) From what I have read it seems that Basic Fluency is similar to a B2 level, but I might be wrong. In order to achieve such a feat I will mix techniques I found from various sources and use khatzumoto's AJATT ideas as my main guidelines. While I agree with most of what I found on AJATT, I would still like to add a more "proactive" part to his method and actively learn both vocabulary and grammar while keeping input strong during the rest of the time. Main tools: - Mnemosyne (SRS) - Essential Vocabulary 6000 (double checked with Naver) - Grammar for International Learners (Yonsei University Press) - Electronic Dictionary (for the moment Kr-En-Kr, but hopefully soon Kr-Kr) I am also using the Ewha Method during classes but will drop it as soon as the class are over as I find too many flaws in it. (Lack of clear explanations or examples, often inappropriate vocabulary - I mean, do I really need to know the whole recycling process and be able to talk about its specific steps when I don't even know the colors?). Keeping in mind AJATT's "No Fun, No Good" ideas it is highly likely that my methods will change from a day to another. Furthermore the focus on Input before Output means that a important part of my study will consist in Drama watching/book reading. Yet, I will also do the following: Vocabulary lists, SRS Repetitions (for everything at the beginning including both Sentences/Vocabulary and Grammar). I am currently translating, word by word, at a snail's pace, "해리 포터와 마법사의 " (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) and watching hem... You're Beautiful (episode 13). I think I covered most of what I wanted to say so... Hmmm... That's it for the moment. Feel free to intervene / correct / throw rotten peaches at me / ask any questions at your convenience. Thank you! 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
 newyorkeric Diglot Moderator Singapore Joined 6370 days ago 1598 posts - 2174 votes  Speaks: English*, Italian Studies: Mandarin, Malay Personal Language Map | Message 2 of 14 22 May 2011 at 9:35am | IP Logged | |||||
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Have you seen this language log: Korean in Kuwait? The author, GoldFibre, learned Korean quickly.
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Lugh Diglot Newbie Korea, South Joined 5410 days ago 10 posts - 13 votes Speaks: French*, English Studies: Korean | Message 3 of 14 23 May 2011 at 4:38pm | IP Logged | |||||
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DAY I
Today was a vocabulary day. I tried for the first time Vocabulary Lists as described by Iversen. While starting was quite painful for me (I have not actively studied any kind of Vocabulary for seven years...), after a few hours I ended up with slightly less than a hundred words. Furthermore, I should be able to increase my productivity if I change settings (library instead of a cafe). As I feel my knowledge of the Korean vocabulary is fairly week (at least from an active point of view) my next objective and sub-objectives will be the followings: Objective: - Learn the content of Essential Vocabulary 6000 Sub-Objectives: 1) Learn A Level Words (1087 words) 2) Learn B Level Words (2111 words) 3) Learn C Level Words (2872 words) It is likely I already know a few of those, in which case, I'll just skip them (which means they won't be indicated in the total progress). I will also keep going with my SRS sentences and repetitions (even though I might leave them aside as I complete the previously stated objectives). Newyorkeric,I indeed started reading his log and find it really interesting so far. He started learning Remembering the Kanji early on and I wonder if Remembering Simplified Hanzi would have the same effect and if it was really that useful... Hmmm... Thank you for your recommendation! 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Warp3 Senior Member United States forum_posts.asp?TID= Joined 5526 days ago 1419 posts - 1766 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Korean, Japanese | Message 4 of 14 23 May 2011 at 5:52pm | IP Logged | |||||
If you are referring to the small pocket-sized book called "Korean Essential Vocabulary 6000 For Foreigners" then you will definitely need to double-check it with Naver, Daum or at least some other source, since there are a few odd ones in there that don't seem to match up with most other sources. I've been using a combination of that book, Survival Korean Vocabulary, and Naver's + Daum's online dictionaries in my recent pursuit of more vocabulary. SKV is based on the same basic 6000 word list, except that a few words differ (as the author of SKV opted to add a few words he felt were more important and drop a few other less important ones, but the vast majority of the 6000 words are the same), it is grouped by topic instead of 가나다 order (though it does have an index that is 가나다 sorted), has example sentences for many of the words (which KEV6000 does not have), and occasionally tips for a word (like the subtle differences with some synonym sets). To be honest, if I were to do this over again, I'd probably have ignored KEV6000 completely and used SKV as the main source instead as I like it much better overall (though it did cost a bit more and is a larger book).
Actually Korean 한자 are almost exclusively based on Traditional Hanzi, so if you choose to learn one, opt for those instead since you'll rarely, if ever, see Simplified Characters in Korean media. Good luck on your learning journey. 힘내세요! Edited by Warp3 on 23 May 2011 at 5:57pm 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Lugh Diglot Newbie Korea, South Joined 5410 days ago 10 posts - 13 votes Speaks: French*, English Studies: Korean | Message 5 of 14 25 May 2011 at 6:30am | IP Logged | |||||
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Day II
Once again, I just did Vocabulary and reps (I do not mention any kind of passive or class related activities). 1) Learn A Level Words: 140*/1087 *Actually, I am much further considering that I started earlier and keep skipping some well known words. I expect to finish it within a day or two. Warp3: Thanks for your advise, I will definitively check Survival Korean out as soon as I can. What I really like with KEV despite its flaws (I mean, this book was obviously meant to be for Chinese learners and they just decided to translate it in English for monetary purposes), is the frequency list. So I think that as soon as I finish Level B words, I will switch to SKV for the final phase of my objective. The reason I was talking about Remembering Simplified Hanzi is that I am required by my University to take a Putonghua course and I would therefore have to learn Simplified Hanzi for a while. However if I like the method, it is more than likely that I will switch to the traditional ones later on. Thanks again for your advices! On an unrelated topic, as I will soon go back to Hong Kong I am wondering if there are any Language schools that would give class in English... More about it later! 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Arekkusu Hexaglot Senior Member Canada bit.ly/qc_10_lec Joined 5372 days ago 3971 posts - 7747 votes Speaks: English, French*, GermanC1, Spanish, Japanese, Esperanto Studies: Italian, Norwegian, Mandarin, Romanian, Estonian | Message 6 of 14 25 May 2011 at 3:44pm | IP Logged | |||||
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You mention SRS, learning vocabulary, input... But where's the oral practice? If your goal is basic fluency, how are you going to do that without any oral output?
If fluency were my goal, I wouldn't waste time with SRS. I'd be finding partners to practice with, learning vocabulary in a real life context while improving fluency. You're lucky enough to be living in Korea, take advantage of it! If you do, I can't imagine you'll be staying at A2 for very long. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Warp3 Senior Member United States forum_posts.asp?TID= Joined 5526 days ago 1419 posts - 1766 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Korean, Japanese | Message 7 of 14 25 May 2011 at 4:13pm | IP Logged | |||||
That is actually the same reason I started using it as my main source. However, if it helps, SKV does the same thing, just using asterisks instead. ** is the equivalent of "A" level, * is the equivalent of "B" level, and no asterisk is the equivalent of "C" level. What I'm actually doing is working my way through the KEV book one level at a time, but cross-referencing each entry with SKV for clarification, examples, and tips as I add them to the SRS. I finished "A" fairly quickly (since I already knew the vast majority of the words in "A" level, but "B" is taking me a bit longer. In fact, I've been working at "B" level for much longer than it took to do the whole book for "A" level, and I'm still in the first letter of the alphabet.
Ahh...if you have to learn the simplified characters anyway, then I'd definitely concentrate on them instead and worry about traditional/Hanja later. Many of the characters are still the same, anyway. In fact, if I were learning another language with Chinese characters (like Mandarin or Japanese) already (instead of waiting like I am with Japanese), I probably would have skipped Hanja entirely since I would really only need the meanings, not the readings for what little usage they get in Korean. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| PurGlossa Newbie China Joined 4931 days ago 7 posts - 10 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Mandarin | Message 8 of 14 25 May 2011 at 5:04pm | IP Logged | |||||
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2 months. Update? I'm always encouraged hen I hear native romance language or English speakers improving in Japanese/Korean/Chinese since I am in a similar situation.
I'm new; not sure if it's kocher to ask for updates on people's logs or not, so... if it isn't someone please let me know =) 1 person has voted this message useful |
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