To J.B. Toddsttoe,
You're an "ESL Instructor" in Seoul who actually takes the time to write a letter to the Korea Times to castigate a non-native speaker of English – the very language with which you are ostensibly making a living teaching to such people – for making a few blunders when writing what is actually a pretty interesting article on the subject of the awkwardness of English-language slogans used by Korean cities governments.
Mr. Toddstoe, you're a guest in this country making a living teaching English to non-native speakers. You must have forgotten that fact in your rant of incredibly ethnocentric arrogance, in which you actually attack your source of bread-and-butter, room and board. Reactions such as yours are exactly what makes it difficult for Koreans to speak English on a level that reflects the relatively high level to which many can both read and write it. Yet, since English has traditionally been taught somewhat akin to the way we teach Latin in the West – as a dead language full of rules to be minded and fretted over, not as a means of true communication – there is an incredible amount of inefficiency, fear, and loathing associated with the teaching and learning of English.
The article in question – written by a native Korean – was quite effective in communicating its point and was not deserving of your ill-spirited attack, especially since it was not criticizing merely the grammatical or syntactical choice of words in the slogans, but rather their implied meanings and unintended connotations. "Perfect" English – or even idiomatic accuracy – is not a prerequisite for having conversation. And I'm sure you don't hold that same high bar for the girls you use your English to scam with in Hongdae clubs or wherever. (See previous mean-spirited post).
I wonder how much Korean you speak – as you're so obviously concerned with the appropriateness of who has the authority to say what in what language. I assume that your Korean is quite good by now, since that is a reasonable expectation to have of someone who is living and working in another country; it is certainly a more reasonable thing to say than calling a non-native speaker of English someone with an "English impediment." Fer Chrissake – if you're that far gone, you need to get the hell out of dodge, dude. If you're an English teacher yet you're counting the mistakes that non-native speakers of English make and then becoming irate about it – go the fuck home. You've totally gone loopy, dude.
MR. TODSTTOE'S LETTER:
Leave English to Those Who Speak It
It's getting laughable, the degree to which your paper insists on being South Korea's great bastion of Konglish. The Nov. 8 issue featured a criticism on the "painful" English used in various Korean province slogans.
But the article itself was even more painful than the infamously stupid "Hi Seoul."
"Give a shot to it"? In English we have the idiom "give it a shot." I'd like to see a moratorium on Korean writers trying to use English idioms. They invariably alter them in some absurd, maladroit manner. And, please, if you can't use a simple word like "however", give it up.
The writer, Choe Yong-shik, tries to link two complementary ideas with the word. A basic understanding of conjunctions dictates that this word is only used as a transition to an idea somehow at odds with the preceding one. The article ends with a horrendous contradiction in terms: "Finalized
in August, the slogan is still in the making." Something finalized is already made; something in the making has not yet been finalized. Sheesh. I counted no fewer than 11 such gaffs in Mr. Choe's little English lesson for the provinces.
He and other writers who share his English impediment should stick to commenting on their area of expertise in their native language. Leave English to those of us who speak it.
J.B. Todsttoe ESL Instructor in Seoul
ORIGINAL LETTER WRITTEN BY NON-NATIVE SPEAKER:
No Gains From Painful Slogan
By Choe Yong-shik
Contributing Writer
Ever since the Seoul Metropolitan Government kicked off the notorious ‘‘Hi Seoul'' campaign in 2002, the stage has been set for other local entities wishing to emulate Seoul’s initiative. After all, the controversy and embarrassment surrounding the ‘‘Hi Seoul'' campaign did not break out in time to prevent other major urban centers from coming up with their own equally enigmatic and awkward marketing campaigns.
The English marketing slogan frenzy has finally hit the southeastern shores of the peninsula and South Kyongsang Province is giving a shot to ‘‘Feel Gyeongnam.'' The province surrounding the City of Pusan may have felt left out over the years in the foray of ‘‘Dynamic Busan,'' ‘‘Buy Incheon,'' ‘‘It’s Daejeon,'' ‘‘Happy Suwon,'' ‘‘Amenity Seocheon'' and ‘‘Ulsan for You.'' Based on the government-proposed Romanization system, Gyeongsang is an alternate name of the province as Busan is for Pusan.
A glimpse of these slogans, however, will only prove that, in Korea, the English language is just a luxury item to look important to their fellow Koreans, not a vital marketing tool to attract foreign investment or promote international tourism.
This type of marketing by the public sector is known as ‘‘destination marketing'' or ‘‘location branding,'' designed to promote a particular area by exuding an image of the country or city’s character, travel, culture, regional specialties, strategic industries, and vision. Destination marketing is intended to link these identities with the city, hence raising its economic value through increased recognition.
Unfortunately, it is clear that Korea’s local governments have not been successful in conveying a meaningful message through their location branding efforts. However, most of the aforementioned expressions are unclear and often illogical.
Given that the slogan of a city or a corporation is meant to be the statement made by the members of the city or corporation to reveal its identity, history or vision, ‘‘Hi Seoul'' is a self-satisfactory greeting by the citizens of Seoul toward themselves. While far more compelling in imagery and nuance in its original Korean context, ‘‘Happy Suwon'' implies the existence of an ‘‘unhappy'' city. Or it would be more natural for humans to be happy, not cities or countries.
Further south one can see, ‘‘Ulsan for You,'' which is equally perplexing and awkward in its intended meaning. Ironically, the neighboring town Gimhae has been happily using ‘‘Gimhae for You'' as well.
When assessing the efforts of South Kyongsang Province, currently embarking on a heavy foreign investment drive, ‘‘Feel Gyeongnam'' is the culmination of half a year’s worth of collaboration among local scholars and experts to formulate a message that would encompass the region’s dynamism and sophistication. Instead of projecting a vision of natural beauty, tourist attractions, and industrial and trade potential, however, ‘‘Feel Gyeongnam'' only raises eyebrow after just a brief moment of consideration and throws two profound questions -- how to feel Gyeongnam and what Gyeongnam means.
What Is ‘Gyeongnam’?
What can also be considered a lapse in judgment is the decision to shorten “Gyeongsang namdo,” which literally translates into ‘‘South Gyeongsang Province,'' to ‘‘Gyeongnam.'' Whereas any Korean would understand the abbreviation based on the common Korean practice of using just the first syllable of a series of words, this can be confusing to a non-Korean who might confuse ‘‘Gyeongnam'' to be the actual name of the province. In addition, the use of ‘G’ as opposed to ‘K,’ although authorized under the government’s recent implementation of the Romanization system, increases the probability of a mispronunciation.
Usually, the word ‘‘feel'' is followed by an adjective, like ‘‘feel happy'' or ‘‘feel sad.'' When followed by a noun, the verb ‘‘feel'' usually means to physically feel something with one’s hand, like ‘‘feel the texture.'' Whereas the South Kyongsang government had intended for readers to feel the spirit, beauty, splendor, passion or love of the province, this cannot be accomplished through the use of just two words -- one of them as vague as ‘‘feel.'' As a result of this naive assumption, one might conjure up an image of a person with his arms stretched out, stumbling about in an attempt to ‘‘feel'' or find something in the dark. Every marketing expression, no matter how simple, should always be tested on a non-Korean audience.
Finalized in August, the slogan is still in the making. Yesterday, the provincial government completed a three-week-long public poll to determine the winning graphic design for the slogan, and the result is to be released in the nearest future.
Notwithstanding, there is still some time to repair this marketing disaster. The bureaucrats should admit to such an egregious error in the game and reconsider everything from the beginning before it is too late.
Choe is the author of recent book, ‘‘What’s Wrong With Korea’s Global Marketing?'' and lectures on mass media at Sejong University in Seoul. -- ED.
