Hatrack River Forum: Korean terms of respect:

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Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

In Japanese there's sensei. Sensei connotes a lot of things, but it's a word that must people who've done some martial arts (and many who haven't) know the intent of.

However, I have recently gotten a Korean mentor, not in Karate, but in the oriential game of Go. How do I show my respect to him? He is teaching me over the internet, so it's nothing face to face.

Thank you. For now, I am calling him "seonsengnim," but I'd love to learn more information on this subject [Smile]

Posted by Mike (Member # 55) on :

Can't help you with the Korean, sorry, but I'll ask dabbler. She might know.

How strong are you? Do you play on KGS?

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

Sensei literally means master/teacher. It is not restricted to martial arts. Just FYI

I can't help you with Korean though.

Posted by airmanfour (Member # 6111) on :

All I know about Korean politeness is the "Anyung Hasao" greeting thing, and following most korean phrases with -ubnida. I had a lot of friends take korean but i learned really weird words that aren't really respectful at all.

Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

I do play on KGS. I am about 3k/2k.

Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :

anyonghasayo?

Nanin yetnal-ae hangukmal'l mal-hassey-yo.

Korean has respect built into the language, but there is no particular word you give for respect.

For example, all sentences end in a verb. You denote respect by how you conjugate the last part of the verb.

Hello can be:
Anyoung-ha"shimnika?" Formal Respect
Anyoung-ha"sayo?" Friendly
Anyong-ha"ni?" Intimate

You can even have other forms and voice tone for talking down to someone. Hello is actually "Are you at peace?"-hence the question mark.

Japanese is very similar to Korean in grammar, so you Japanese speakers know exactly what I am talking about.

Korean doesn't have many swear words (that I know of), but it is the funnest language to talk in while you are pissed off. (Sorry for the crude language). It can be sharp, abrupt, and very fun.

Back to your question. There is one thing you can do. You can add "nim" (Pronounced neem) to a title or name. "Nim" is an honorific.

Ie. "Sunsang" is teacher. Students call their teachers "Sunsangnim." "Changno" is Elder. Missionaries are called "Changnonim."

You could say his name with a "nim" at the end of it or his title with a "nim" at it.

Hope that helps.

EDIT

quote:
and following most korean phrases with -ubnida.

Ubnida is the formal polite conjugation for a statement. Ubni"ka" is the polite for a question. Hence "Anyounghashimnika." That "shi" is an extra honorfier. Ubnida and Ubnika are often pronouced imnida and imnika depending on the vowls/verbs before it.

Posted by Mike (Member # 55) on :

I haven't been playing much lately, but I'm something like 8k or 10k. Perhaps a teaching game some time? [Wink]

Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :

quote:
However, I have recently gotten a Korean mentor,

Sunsangnim is teacher. Ooops, I just noticed:

quote:
For now, I am calling him "seonsengnim,"

We are using different spellings, (I suck at romanization) but it is the same word. It is equivalent to sensei. And now you know where teh nim comes from.

Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :

For starters, avoid using the word "oriental" around him, because while most of us don't care, it became un-PC some time ago, and why risk it? ^_^

Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :

Oriential is no longer PC? Odd. I guess TMBG are now racists ^^.

Mike: Sure [Smile]

What's your KGS ID? I'll PM you sometime.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I guess I'll stick by calling him what I have been as it seems to be about right ^^.

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

When the British use the word oriental they are referring to people of Middle Eastern decent not East Asians. Just thought that little tid bit would be nice to know.

I have yet to meet any East Asians who got upset over Oriental, but then again Chinese people care nothing for political correctness.

I would NOT be suprised if Koreans get upset if they are lumped in with the Chinese and Japanese. They get mad if you ask them if they are South Korean or North Korean true response to the querie,

"Do I look like a dirty poor communist to you!?"

Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :

quote:
I have yet to meet any East Asians who got upset over Oriental, but then again Chinese people care nothing for political correctness.

I would NOT be suprised if Koreans get upset if they are lumped in with the Chinese and Japanese. They get mad if you ask them if they are South Korean or North Korean true response to the querie,

While most east asians won't get upset over "oriental," they will remember you said it. It's not something to get actively angry over, just something that indicates cultural insensitivity on the part of the speaker. "Oriental" hasn't been PC for decades - or at least, many asian americans haven't liked it for decades.

None of the three major east asian ethnicities is particularly thrilled to be mistaken for another.

Posted by Mike (Member # 55) on :

I am ibis on KGS. But I'm almost never on. [Frown]