More Examples of how to use grammar points

[sarahk]

My retention of Korean has gone WAY UP since I started listening to KoreanClass101... Thanks guys!

I would suggest the following to help:

when you give a grammar point, like using 고싶오요 ... it is helpful for me to hear how different verbs are conjugated using this...

It also helps me to hear how different vocabulary words are used in different contexts..

It would help to hear more!

Also, maybe not everyone needs this, but I need to learn Korean in the most formal style...I would rather be over-polite to people than under-polite...

When my American friends try to speak Korean in Korea, Koreans laugh at them and think "it's cute" that they are trying...so if they mis-speak words, it is "okay".
But since I am Korean, I cannot afford to mis-speak any words...especially in the wrong politeness level. That's why I'm very gun-shy to actually speak Korean when I am in Korea...

I feel that the "casual" style of speaking will come easier after I learn the most formal style...and I can let people correct me then.

[Keith]

Thanks for the suggestions Sarah!

Actually, we realized just what you suggested. We want to include more examples in the audio as possible, as well as include more example sentences in the PDF.

As for the politeness levels, we did stray away from the Formal Politeness Level because it sounds a bit awkward when using it. But I agree that it is better to be overly polite than under polite. So as we're still working on our next season scripts, we'll try to work that into our lessons in a natural and useful manner

But don't be afraid to use the standard politeness level because it is polite, and not awkward at all!

[bewolff]

I like your little content and vocab quizzes but they are too short, just a handful of questions. Maybe 10 is ideal. You can even throw in a review questions or two on something particularly important from a recent lesson.

But...that is not really my intent in posting. Could you make worksheets, that very repetitively hammer in a grammar point (for example: a verb or adjective conjugation, or a topic particles, etc.) where we have to correctly apply the grammar point of the lesson over and over again with different sentences. Having like 20 questions per worksheet maybe would be ideal. HTML coded with drop down menus, or flash is nice, but nothing wrong with a good old fashioned printable pdf file that I can put my pencil to.

Too many books in Korea have a bit of explanation and then offer like 4 questions to practice the skill. There are no real workbooks.

Question...when you guys say Topic Particle, is this the same thing as Subject Particle?

[austinfd]

Question...when you guys say Topic Particle, is this the same thing as Subject Particle?

No, they are different. The topic/contrastive particle is 은/는 and the subject particle is 이/가

It can be confusing because to the English speaker, it is hard to draw a distinction between them, and they both are added to important, main-idea nouns in a sentence.

[hyunwoo]

I like your little content and vocab quizzes but they are too short, just a handful of questions. Maybe 10 is ideal. You can even throw in a review questions or two on something particularly important from a recent lesson.

But...that is not really my intent in posting. Could you make worksheets, that very repetitively hammer in a grammar point (for example: a verb or adjective conjugation, or a topic particles, etc.) where we have to correctly apply the grammar point of the lesson over and over again with different sentences. Having like 20 questions per worksheet maybe would be ideal. HTML coded with drop down menus, or flash is nice, but nothing wrong with a good old fashioned printable pdf file that I can put my pencil to.

Too many books in Korea have a bit of explanation and then offer like 4 questions to practice the skill. There are no real workbooks.

Question...when you guys say Topic Particle, is this the same thing as Subject Particle?

Thank you for the feedback! Yes we'd like to offer more and more verb conjugations in the PDF and in the learning center too. We'll work on a system to do this as soon as possible. Thank you very much!!

[sarahk]

Thanks for the suggestions Sarah!

Actually, we realized just what you suggested. We want to include more examples in the audio as possible, as well as include more example sentences in the PDF.

As for the politeness levels, we did stray away from the Formal Politeness Level because it sounds a bit awkward when using it. But I agree that it is better to be overly polite than under polite. So as we're still working on our next season scripts, we'll try to work that into our lessons in a natural and useful manner

But don't be afraid to use the standard politeness level because it is polite, and not awkward at all!

First of all, thanks taking my suggestion! It was cool to hear you say that in the podcast!
I am a little confused...a Korean friend (who had been tutoring me before) told me that the language in the Formal Politeness level (that you used)...is used primarily for written Korean and not spoken Korean... have you heard that?

So, if the next level of politeness is Standard politeness, then I am okay with learning that. My situation requires me to interact with CEOs, Presidents, VPs, Directors, Senators (in National Assembly), and occasionally heads of state... so I want to make sure that I am using the most formal that is acceptable... If standard politeness is acceptable when a junior speaks to anyone of one of those levels, then great! I just don't want to get smacked for being rude!
(and since I am Korean...but don't speak Korean...it's more likely that that will happen to me than if I were caucasian trying to speak Korean)...So i always tend to err on not saying anything at all versus saying something the wrong way.

make sense?

Thanks!!

[Keith]

Hi Sarah!

Did you enjoy the lesson?

The Formal Politeness level is used primarily for writing. However, it is used in Formal situations where formal language should be used. Examples are: business meetings, job interviews, public speaking. Whenever you feel like you have to be on your best behavior.

And it seems like your situation requires the most formal language possible! But! It is flexible.

The formal politeness level is used for formal, business-like settings.
The standard politeness level is casual, but is still polite (if that makes sense).

So for your specific situation, it would probably be best to use formal politeness level, especially at your place of work.

Using the Formal Politeness level is... well... formal. So it's almost a reverence for that person, which can be seen as distant. But if you get to become comfortable with some of these people. Maybe after work, you go out for dinner, or a few drinks with some of these people. The situation becomes a bit more casual. So in that situation, you could use the standard politeness level. - In that case, you're being polite, but a little more relaxed and casual.

Let me know if this made any sense at all hehe... My brain's not functioning today

[sarahk]

Hello Keith!
Yes, makes total sense...

I need to focus on the Formal Politeness level ... I think it will be way more acceptable in 90% of the situations that I will be in.

I will let the person I am talking to tell me when it is okay to lower my language to the more standard level of politeness... I think it will be more acceptable.

So...I'm looking forward to hearing more examples of formal politeness level in the lessons! Maybe give examples of formal AND standard...

Thanks!