Countdown! Survival Language in a Hurry

The sudden reality of departing for Korea by the end of the week only hit me in the last few days. Although I am the type who prefers to over-prepare, the truth is that real life does not always allow the luxury of good preparation. The question that faces me, like many others on the brink of departure, is: what Korean phrases will be most helpful to know before departure?

This entire blog is based on the principle of optimal return on language learning investment. This is done with the Survival Language Kit (SLK), based on research of linguist Paul Nation. You can read more about this in earlier posts, or follow the links. In a nutshell, the SLK allows users to tailor the most common phrases to their personal needs and interests. What makes it an effective learning tool is the process of critically compiling the Korean phrases oneself.

But in the hectic last week before take-off, what should I learn? As with all language learning, this depends on learner needs. Learner needs include social requirements and personal needs. Personalising this is part of the learning process, but I include my own case by way of example. The very first priority is to learn greetings and polite expressions. This is a good ice-breaker and a way to establish a connection, even if it is the sum total of one's knowledge. I personally consider counting the next step (although with Korean's dual system this is a challenge!). Talking about oneself is also handy, but probably not a first priority. An area that is absolutely vital to me, as a picky eater/occasional health nut/pesco-vegetarian, is food! This is also important to anyone with allergies and other special needs. Some emergency vocabulary is also always a good idea, even if this is limited to saying "help!".

In a perfect world, we can all spend plenty of time on mastering a language before a trip. In the real world, coping with pressure is often a more valuable skill. The fact remains that actually being immersed in the new environment can be a boost to language learning, far better than "studying"! however, it is easier to learn on the spot once a basic framework for the language is in place in one's mind.

As for me, my next priority is to learn to say "if you feed me red meat I will turn purple, start frothing at the mouth and die in a public media frenzy that will destroy your reputation." See, personal needs drive us to far higher levels of learning, not so?