Korean language taught by white folks.

[KyungYet]

So I spent my childhood listening raptly as my white-as-can-be, blonde-haired and moustachioed (hey, it was the 70s and 80s) Tang Soo Do instructors mangled the Korean language at me. What did I know? For years, I was sure that when my instructor told us to come to attention, he was saying,

Cherry up!

Which you have to admit, sounds refreshing (or just fresh, depending on your mindset).

Now, as a the head of a martial arts program at my University, and with the insufferable curiosity of an academic, I need to understand how to pronounce everything correctly and what they really mean. I mean, REALLY. For example, I'm learning that do jang literally means something like "the place of the way." And "ki cho hyung" literally means "first energy form." How cool is that? I mean, if it's true. I still wouldn't know. I hear the easiest way to learn Korean is to be born as a Korean child in Korea.

So, any help out there? From someone pretty fluent in Korean, that is? The words I'm interesting in learning the *exact* translation of are:

Jhoon Bee

Gup

Cha Ryut

Sah Bum Nim (doesn't this mean "teaching father?")

Kyung Yet

Shio

Bar Ro

Dora

Tang Soo Do (is it, "the way of the [T'ang Dyansty's] Chinese hand?")

I mean, I know what they mean. But I want to know what they MEAN. Know what I mean?

Thank you! Or, er - kamsahamnida!

KY

[KyungYet]

American TSD under Chuck Norris added "sang gup" to basic forms one and two, which supposedly means "advanced." But I can't find anything anywhere in Korean that says that's how you say "advanced." Anyone know what "ki cho hyung il bu sang gup" actually means? Tanx.

[bushido_man96]

I think DWx had found a Korean translation program of some kind, I'm not sure if it was book or CD form, or what it was called. But she might have some information that could help you out there.

On a personal note (and I always have to throw this out there), I would just prefer to teach English speakers in English. But that's just me.

[DWx]

Somebody rang?

So I too wanted to get the proper pronunciation and meanings of things. A really good book I found was this:

http://www.amazon.com/Taekwondo-Korean-Language-Terminology-Reference/dp/1445231050/r

Although it is mainly Taekwondo terminology and the author can't get enough of telling you that English TKD students butchered the Korean language, it should be pretty useful. There are plenty guides online to learning how to read and pronounce Korean.

The great thing about Korean compared to other languages is that it is fairly easy to learn to read and write (and subsequently say). Unlike the vast majority of languages that evolved, Hangul was actually invented so it is somewhat systematic. Look here for a list of loads of great resources for learning:

For example, I'm learning that do jang literally means something like "the place of the way." And "ki cho hyung" literally means "first energy form." How cool is that? I mean, if it's true. I still wouldn't know.

That is true. Dojang (도장) is the Korean version of the Japanese Dojo (道場). In fact if we write dojang in hanja it becomes: 道場 which, of course, is naturally identical to the Japanese kanji form. Go back a step further, Do 道 itself is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Tao 道 (note that it is the same character). Tao is quite hard to explain briefly so I would point you to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao but essentially Tao is a concept that there are underlying pathways or currents throughout the universe. You become attuned to Tao essentially through disciplined and balanced mind and body. Hence martial arts dojos are places of the way. Fun fact: in Zen Buddhism meditation halls can also be called a dojo.