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Regionalism or Lisping?

dartmom
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Joined: June 19th, 2008 2:39 am

Regionalism or Lisping?

Postby dartmom » August 13th, 2008 1:21 am

I am a linguaphile, with American English being my first language. I'm fairly fluent in French, and speak some Albanian and Spanish, so it was only natural when I got accidentally hooked on Kdramas that I would want to learn Korean! I have been doing Koreanclass101 for a few months now, and I really appreciate it. I have watched dozens of kdramas now. I recently watched Cruel Love aka Bad Love and the one actor seems to be lisping to me. But I wonder if it's a regionalism? His name is Kwon Sang-woo and even as good looking as he is, I find it hard to believe someone could make it big with a speech impediment. Are there regional dialects in Korea? Am I just imagining this, or does he really speak differently? Thanks for helping me with this.

Kamsahamnida

---Linda

holdfast
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Postby holdfast » August 13th, 2008 6:20 pm

i don't really have an answer for this, but i think many people in korea speak with a lisp. i have heard it on t.v. and with other entertainers, and i have several korean friends that speak with a lisp.

there are several regional dialects in korea, but i don't think the lisp has much to do with that.

i have wondered about this myself, but i forgot to ask.

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Keith
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Postby Keith » August 14th, 2008 1:36 am

I think that guy just has a lisp. And I think he's gotten big because he's really good looking... not to be funny about it either!

I don't know so much about the views on speech impediments in Korea, but I think it's not considered as big an "impediment" as it is in the west.

rooraa
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Postby rooraa » August 14th, 2008 2:43 am

I've only noticed a slight lisp from one of the singers in Forever in Jisang 지상에서 영원으로 by SG 워너비 but he still has a fantastic voice :D

hyunwoo
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Postby hyunwoo » August 14th, 2008 3:51 am

I agree with Keith on this :) Lisping isn't much of an impediment here - although you might be able expect some haters on the Web, naturally making fun of it all the time ^^ But 권상우 made it big 1) because of his well-built body and good-looking face, 2) because of the first few roles that he took. I would say he was kind of lucky, too. :)

dartmom
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Joined: June 19th, 2008 2:39 am

Thanks for the replies!

Postby dartmom » August 14th, 2008 5:45 pm

Thanks, I'm not making fun of anyone, it just muddled my understanding because he sounded different. I saw the same actor in Stairway to Heaven and didn't notice it then, so thought maybe he was doing an accent for this part, but I may just not have noticed it at that time. Now I'm actually starting to understand the Korean so I'm paying even more attention.

I appreciate the prompt replies. See you in class!

---Linda

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