What’s holding you back from learning a language? There are a lot of misconceptions people can have when it comes to learning a new language (in this case, Korean). Many people who are learning or want to learn a new language have a lot of unanswered questions regarding the misconceptions they might have or are experiencing; often wondering if what they're doing to help them absorb the language faster is the correct way. So, here we are to help debunk them for you!
Keep reading to find out the truth about these common misconceptions of Korean language learning!
1. You Can Learn A Language Through Songs (노래를 통해서 배우기)
Of course listening to songs of another language can help expand your vocabulary, but this isn’t the ideal way to learning a language (언어). You can memorise as many Korean songs from start to finish as you want but if you don’t fully understand what you are rapping or singing, then music is not really the best method. The reason (이유) is because the way you sing is not the way you speak. Words in songs are often more exaggerated and the pronunciations are stretched out.
2. You Can Learn A Language Through Shows (TV쇼를 보면서 배우기)
This is half true. However, for the most part most lines from TV Shows aren’t good for memorising. When watching a show in another language it’s natural for one to use subtitles (자막) so essentially the focus is more on the subtitles. Remember that subtitles are not always the direct translation.
Another thing to remember is characters in the show are just characters so obviously they speak in a more exaggerated way that one doesn’t speak like in real life. If you were to speak like one of your favourite characters from a K-Drama in Korea, people would be taken aback as it wouldn’t entirely sound normal.
3. Learning From A Native Speaker (원어민에게 배우기)
While a lot of people naturally think learning from a native speaker (원어민) is the best way, it’s not always the case. Most of the time a native speaker doesn’t understand how they speak the language they speak. Ask a Korean why do they say certain phrases the way they do and in most cases they wouldn’t know because they grew up used to their language.
Another thing is they don’t know the struggle of learning their mother tongue (모국어). Every language has confusing aspects that a native speaker can’t relate to. Sometimes getting advice from someone who mastered the language can be a lot more helpful than you think! However learning from a native speaker is also a big help but remember that they may not know how to explain it perfectly.
4. Grammar Is Not Important (문법의 중요성)
When it comes to learning Korean, many learners often think that focusing more on vocabulary is enough to get by, therefore they disregard the importance of equally learning grammar just as much. However, when learning Korean, grammar is also important. Most people think learning grammar is boring but the reality is if you truly want to understand the language, get better at it and speak like native speakers then you got to spend time learning the grammar, even if it’s just little by little. But, do note that between grammar and vocabulary (expressions), vocabulary comes first.
5. Learning From YouTube And Games (유튜브 아니면 게임하면서 배우기)
Somewhat true. With YouTube or games, if you enjoy what you’re doing and having fun it’s a lot easier to learn the language. By engaging with something that you like, you will most likely absorb the information (정보) faster. Nowadays (요즘에는), even foreign YouTubers and streamers speak better Korean than the foreigners on TV. With these materials, all you need is your phone or laptop to hear the way these Korean YouTubers and streamers talk and get familiar with the language all from the comfort of your home (집).
A disclaimer to this is you might learn words from these Youtubers/gamers that don’t apply to real life situations. This method might work for intermediate / advanced learners who already know how to differentiate between people speaking in very casual short terms and online slang but for beginners, you might want to build your foundation in Korean correctly first before diving deeper into the world of online slang. You don’t want to only be able to speak in memes LOL!
Did this help answer whatever doubts or questions you've been having while learning another language? We sure hope it did and that this was a fun read for you.
Actually, these are all great methods when used to supplement language learning, not entirely depending on it alone. Share this blog with your friends if they also have these same misconceptions regarding language learning! Hopefully clearing up these common misconceptions about learning Korean has made your decision to continue or start studying Korean an easy one!
Since we're on the topic of Common Misconceptions Of Language Learning, check out our other blogs on 10 Fantastic Tips To Learn Korean Fast and 6 Tips On How To Overcome Intermediate Plateau!
Responses