I've been trying but I can't for the life of me distinguish (by ear) the different between g, k and kk. It's driving me bananas.

In class the teacher said I was saying them perfectly but I couldn't hear the difference in what I was saying.....trying to get it down pat so I don't embarrass myself by saying the wrong word unintentionally.

Can anyone help? Any pointers?

I live in South Korea so I know some of the basics. G and K are pretty much the same. I can't differentiate between the two. For example, there is a district here in Seoul called Kangnam but you pronounce it 'Gangnam'. Either way, you should be understood here.

JDInteractive said:

I think I'm getting away with it because I use my Japanese half-voiced k sound.

It's the double that is trickier, right? Do I just have to spit slightly?

Where in South Korea are you? I love that country. It's beautiful!

I just started teaching myself Chinese a few days ago...good luck to you.
[Edited 8/27/09 16:41pm]

connorhawke said:

Yeah, spitting when you speak and generally, spitting as part of being a male here. They honk up hard here, it's disgusting.

I live in Ilsan which is a sub-district of Seoul. I like Seoul well enough but I find it pretty bland as a country in comparison to others I've been too. Having said that, I have everything I could possibly want here. In terms of beauty, I much preferred Japan.

I will of cause be going out for galbi tonight which will include kimchi and possibly the odd bottle of soju.

JDInteractive said:

I used to live in Japan. I miss it. Sometimes it was a case of "just can't go outside" though.

I think the mountains in North-East Asia are so beautiful!

And thanks, I'll practice my glottal hawking in the name of linguistic advancement.

And peacenlovealways - thanks! Good luck to you with the Chinese study. Now THAT's a bitch of a language to write!!!!

excuse: I only talk with the Korean earthworms with that i use to fish

ingamilo said:

What do they talk about?

nope.


hope that helps, boo

Imago said:

Unimaginably

Cheers!

Imago said:

yeah my answer too, soz

Imago said:

it tries to begin to fish with Korean earthworms and it with them any thing that you translate automatically, for the computer! at first them they have difficulty in maintaining the conversation (they are perfectionist in the mouths) but later after enters the fishhook ... you can say any thing less right than they dance of happy (this is really very badly writing....fodas!)
[Edited 8/27/09 17:15pm]

connorhawke said:

ingamilo said:

Hahaha

쿨

baroque said:

how is it pronounced? don't tell me.... am I right?
[Edited 8/27/09 19:40pm]

ingamilo said:

Cool?

connorhawke said:

Yes, it means 'cool' although you'd end up pronouncing it ku-uhl or something to that effect.

I'm so glad speaking Thai is so easy by comparison.

I'd like to learn Japanese though.

Fauxie said:

Japanese is easy to learn but the writing system stinks. The most illogical thing in the world.

connorhawke said:

what do you mean? is it the way you might see kanji, hiragana and katakana all in the same sentence?

whistle said:

Yes. And the way people alternate writing them, especially when they can't remember the characters. And the bastardisation of English or foreign words written however the hell they like.

Not a very scientific written language like Korean.

Out of all the asian languages I think I'd like to learn Vietnamese. We have a large Vietnamese community in San Jose, and I'd think it would really help in my job. Some of my Vietnames acquaintances and co-workers have tried to teach me but it's very difficult.

connorhawke said:

I notice that in Utada Hikaru's music, words like 'dorama', 'shinario', and 'risuku'.

Nearly forgot 'Purinsu'

actually Japanese is one of the hardest languages to learn if your native language is English

being in Japan helps though - although it is amazing how many people here wanna practice their Engrish

lived in Korea too and i know there is a very hard K sound that sounds like someone is making a strange noise - have no idea what that means though

japanrocks said:

I have to disagree. The hard part about learning Japanese as an English speaker is the fact that it's often impossible to say what you want to say. As English is so specific I find it frustrating that I can't conjugate verbs to the degree that I can in my native language. I'm constantly *almost* saying what I want but to a perfectionist like me it's never enough. Japanese is such a vague language. Very poetic, but annoyingly vague.

ZombieKitten said:

No wukkas luv.

Fauxie said:

that's right. It's a language in itself.

My favourites:

Purikura = Print Club
Geisen = Game Centre
Koonaa = Corner (used for any space (like an area) and apparently also "segment" ie weather segment) GOD THIS ONE SHITS ME
Berigu = Very good

well, you can see for yourself then

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...t_language