Speaking Korean

By Francis Y.T. Park and Francis Y.T. Parker

Book Overview

This book is intended primarily for those English speakers who wish to acquire a good knowledge of spoken Korean. This is the first of four volumes in an entirely new type of textbook series for... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1565911016
• ISBN13: 9781565911017
• Release Date: June 2002
• Publisher: Hollym Intl
• Length: 484 Pages
• Weight: 2.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.3" x 1.3" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

An Excellent Reference

I began learning Korean as a hobby during my days at a music conservatory where there were many Korean students. I spent perhaps a year trying to find a decent textbook, throwing away too much of my meager budget on junk books, until I came across Speaking Korean.First, please note that Speaking Korean is a series of 4 books, two grammar books, a volume for learning Chinese characters, and a volume of advanced reading selections using Chinese characters. Volume 3, for learning Chinese characters, is actually meant to be used alongside Volumes 1 & 2. It consists of about 150 short lessons, each one teaching about 10 characters and containing reading selections for practice. It begins at a simple level of vocabulary and grammar ("I study Korean. The cleaning lady is diligent") and allows the learner to begin using Chinese characters from the start. Although most modern Korean uses Chinese characters only sparsely, learning them is tremendously helpful for developing vocabulary.Second, the great thing about this book is the absence of Romanization. Learning Hangul, the Korean phonetic alphabet, requires only a few hours of initial memorization, followed by practice to gain fluency. If one's interest in Korean extends to the level of a two week vacation or more, learn Hangul. It makes everything much easier.A few improvements could be made in the books. For example, Volume 3, for learning Chinese characters, simply lists the character in printed form. Someone truly self-studying will need another reference to illustrate stroke order and handwritten form, even though the introduction does contain general rules regarding stroke order.Also, Volume I packs a lot of important information in its introduction, particularly with respect to phonetics (for the uninitiated, an example: a syllable ending "k" sound becomes an "ng" sound when followed by an "m"). Someone using the book without a teacher may easily ignore this information in eagerness to get to the numbered lessons. This would be a big mistake.Overall, however, Speaking Korean is a wonderful resource for one who is interested in obtaining a solid knowledge of Korean.

Absolute Best For Self Study

I try to own every Korean language learning text there is, but this one is absolutely the best for learning Korean without professional guidance and it assumes you know nothing. It saved me from ignorance when I lived in the Korean countryside 16 years ago and there were no classes, a difficult situation for Korean because it takes a while just to learn how to learn it. The book always shows numerous examples, good for Americans who like to "understand" instead of just being told what the rules are, the kind a teacher would give you if s/he were trying to help things sink in. Other books are more "scientific" (Koreans love this word) in terms of current (= "ever changing") methodology, but this one just shows you what to do in very simple terms so you can talk your head off. Eventually you will graduate to more complicated approaches, but this is your best point of departure when you're all by your lonesome.

excellent for those who already know the basics

I've been studying Korean for three years now and this series is the best I've come across. The books are well worth the money. I am currently in the country and haven't found a better set of books to study. The only thing I think would be better than the "speaking korean" series is to attend a course at Yonsei. (By the way I am not a Korean so Im speaking as someone who knew none of the language before 3 years ago)

Very Informative

There are not many books out there for learning Korean. I started out with Myongdo's Korean which I rate as satisfactory, but out of date. Speaking Korean is much better. It's more up to date and I love its structure. I'm not sure as too how this book would be for a beginner since I've grown up having a Korean mother, giving me some knowledge of the language. But I really suggest trying this book out anyways. Hangul's really not difficult to learn at all.

Great for those with basic knowledge of the Korean language.

I first read this book while living in Korea, I already had the basics of the Korean language down, which was a big help. This book walks you through every day language and situations, while giving you a wide range of vocabulary. It is a must for the serious Korean langauge student; however, if you are looking for a quick reference guide for a short vacation this is not it. Book II is even more in depth and III will give you a basic introduction to Hanja. I recommend the whole series--nothing is a replacement for actual conversation, but this is close.