I ♥ 콩글리시

콩글리시 or Konglish (Korean+English) is a well worn term within Korean and expatriate communities alike that refers to a phenomenon that anyone who has ever traveled to Korea-- or to any number of other countries throughout Asia-- is certainly familiar with. Everywhere you turn here in the ROK you can see English words used in entertainment and advertising, on clothing, and in everyday conversation. Sometimes these words are actual English words, other times they are "Korean-ized" versions of English words, and still other times they are English words creatively melded together with Korean words. Often the words mean something different to Koreans than they would to a native English speaker. And in sentences that employ Konglish, I would say that, more often than not, there are what would generally be considered by native speakers to be significant mistakes in sentence structure and usage.

Click on the video below to listen to an older but still classic K-pop song that beautifully demonstrates Konglish in action...



Just google "konglish" and click on images to see plenty more examples-- Konglish can be found on everything from billboards, to street signs, to clothing and other goods.

Usually when I have heard the term Konglish used by Koreans here in Korea, I have sensed an undercurrent of self-criticism and bitterness in their generally light and teasing tone. Whether or not this is usually the case when Koreans mention Konglish, though, I really can't say. I am a foreigner, and it is therefore assumed that I will in some way think less of them for "misusing" the English language-- an assumption which undoubtedly colors the way Koreans express themselves around me. After all, one of the major motivating factors for bringing native English speaking teachers into public schools in the first place is to try to halt the transfer of commonly made mistakes in usage and grammar from the Korean teacher to student. There seems to be a big fear here that the use of Konglish in foreign environments will bring shame on both the individual who uses it and on Korea in general.

Without weighing into the debate on whether or not Konglish is a good or bad thing for Korean culture, whether it's use is beneficial or whether it's purpose is valid, I am simply going to say that I personally love Konglish. I think it's often creative, inventive, clever and charming. I mean, "if you wanna pretty, every wanna pretty"? How cute is that?

Now, I am certain that there are varieties of Konglish that do much more harm than good, and I want to be clear that I am not attempting to dismiss the fact that there may be real problems that both undergird and arise from the widespread use of incorrect and sometimes nonsensical English. Neither do I want to minimize the counter arguments that insist on the meaningfulness and value of what might seem to be gibberish to the native speaker in the Korean context. All I mean to state here is simply that, even after being in Korea for nearly three and a half months, hearing Konglish still warms my heart and makes me want to smile.

I suspect that my soft spot for Konglish is mainly due to the fact that hearing it makes me feel at home here in Korea. While I may not be able to understand much actual Korean, I have no problem at all with understanding Konglish. My own mother and grandmother are, after all, expert users of the sub-language, and that has made me, in turn, an expert interpreter.

Of course, Konglish is nothing if not constantly evolving, and being in Korea has given me a Konglish education that I never could have gotten at home. Two of my newest personal favorite terms are "paiting," aka fighting-- a word to be yelled at sporting events in a similar way that some might yell "Victory!"; and "grlamor," aka glamour-- used to mean something like sexy and curvy, as in "Beyonce is so grlamor."

For now, suffice it to say, I think you can expect many more posts devoted to celebrating the joy that is Konglish coming from me in the future...