[alison-the-linguist]

Masterlist

Tutorials

How I Look Up Korean Words

How I Study Korean Songs

Study With Me

Lyric Breakdown: “Childish” by LambC

Lyric Breakdown: “Make Love” by GRAY (feat. Zion T)

Why Did Taeil and Shotaro Rip a Piece of Paper When They Said 찢었다?

Recommendations

Top 5 Language Learning YouTubers

Simple Songs To Start You Out On Written Korean

Simple Songs to Start You Out On Written Korean Pt. 2

Korean YouTubers to Shadow

[alison-the-linguist]

Korean YouTubers to Shadow

(If you want to sound like a girl in her 20s)

Shadowing is one of my favorite methods to learn languages. It has multiple benefits and I enjoy how challenging it is to mold your mouth in different shapes. The only problem is that it's really hard to get started if you can't find someone to shadow in the first place. That's why I made this list of YouTubers that I use, in hopes that it could help you guys, too! Enjoy~

반채영

Mainly makeup and lifestyle vlogs

I think her voice so soothing

2. 야야슬

An NCT fan 💚

A lot of unboxings and K-pop related videos

She has that signature nasal sound that I love about Korean

3. 제리

Mainly makeup, fashion, and lifestyle vlogs

Her voice is so soft and cute 🤎

4. 유네린

A lot of storytelling and podcast-style videos

Her voice is so lovely and smooth

Compared to my usual, this a very short post, but I hope it helped you progress along you language learning journey ^^

Here's to another wonderful day of language learning!~

Alison, The Linguist

[alison-the-linguist]

Simple Songs to Start You Out on Written Korean Pt. 2

Hey~~ 안녕~~ 哈喽～～

Studying written Korean after only focusing on spoken Korean is definitely a challenge if you don’t have something to help dip your toe in. Ballads are often recommended for studying but I find that they tend to use a lot of metaphors and, personally, I don’t like ballads lol. I compiled this list of songs from various genres so that if you’re lost in the world of written Korean, these will help you get a foothold without having to listen to a long string of high notes and piano lol.

"장난 아닌데" by DAY6

"잘 자" by NCT DREAM

"말도 안돼" by VICTON

"Chocolate" by DAY6

"Highway To Heaven" NCT 127

I specially picked these songs because they use phrases, words, and grammar structures that are common in written Korean, and the way they use them makes it very easy to understand and adjust to. Check out my corresponding Instagram post because I spent a crazy amount of time working on the graphics for each slide lol.

I hope your day is going well~

Here’s to another wonderful day of language learning!~

Alison, The Linguist

[alison-the-linguist]

Lyric Breakdown: "Make Love" by GRAY (feat. Zion T)

Hey~~ 안녕~~ 哈喽～～

Okay, if you haven’t listened to this song yet, look it up right now lol.

I am definitely a K-Hip Hop kind of girl and this song is just *chef kiss*

What is Lyric Breakdown?

A segment that focuses on picking apart digestible parts of songs so that you can learn to be comfortable in the world of Korean (look below for a detailed explanation and instructions on how to use this post).

Which level is best suited for this?

Lower-intermediate to advanced. Beginners are welcome, but I will not be explaining basic concepts so it will be hard to follow if you don’t already have a base in Korean.

What is the world of Korean?

Lots of learners think being able to translate something back and forth between different languages means they understand fully. I (partially) disagree. English is English and Korean is Korean. They express and view messages in different ways and therefore should not be looked at as two different ways to convey a message, but rather two different worlds. In the world of English, you say something a certain way, and in the world of Korean, you say it a different way. Learning to live in the world of Korean, I believe, is the best way to become independent in your learning journey. Living in the world of Korean means only relying on English (or any other language) as a quick double-check, not as a crutch. I recommend you use this post like this:

Read the lyrics and see how much you understand

Swipe to the next picture and look at the vocabulary and grammar I listed. (Do NOT look at the translation yet) Is there anything you don’t know? Read the definition or look through the related lesson.

Go back to the initial page with the lyrics. Do you understand the message?

Double-check with the translation.

Finally, notice. Notice how much the translation misses the message being conveyed in Korean. Notice how different it feels in Korean vs. English. Notice how you might say it differently in English to convey a different aspect of the message in Korean. Notice how you might say it most naturally in English. Notice how much of the original message you miss when you say it most naturally in English.

Welcome to the world of Korean.

Here we go.

1.촌스럽게 우리 그런 말 하지 말자

Vocabulary

촌스럽다 = to be tacky, old-fashioned

Grammar

~지 말다 = let's not (link in description)

Raw Translation

Let’s not say such tacky expressions

(T/N: he's referring to Gray's lines in the first half of the song, which are along the lines of most other love songs aka a bit cheesy)

2.말보단 행동 가까이, 붙어 앉아

Vocabulary

붙어 앉다 = to sit right next to each other (lit. stick together + sit)

Grammar

None 😎

Raw Translation

Instead of (using) words, let's sit close together

Instead of getting closer with words, let's use actions. Sit right next to me

3.어색해진 공기 빨개진 볼 봐, 아 뜨거워

Vocabulary

공기 = air; mood, ambiance

볼 = (facial) cheeks

Grammar

아/어지다 = to become (something) (TTMIK Level 4 Lesson 28)

Raw Translation

The mood that has become awkward

Cheeks that have become red

Ouch, (they're) hot

4.사랑에 빠질 것 같아

Vocabulary

사랑에 빠지다 = to fall in love

Grammar

None 😎

Raw Translation

I think we'll fall in love

Grammar Lessons and Further Study

~지 말다

Here's to another wonderful day of language learning!~

Alison, The Linguist

[alison-the-linguist]

Simple Songs To Start You Out On Written Korean

Hey~~ 안녕~~ 哈喽～～

Studying written Korean after only focusing on spoken Korean is definitely a challenge if you don't have something to help dip your toe in. Ballads are often recommended for studying but I find that they tend to use a lot of metaphors and, personally, I don't like ballads lol. I compiled this list of songs from various genres so that if you're lost in the world of written Korean, these will help you get a foothold without having to listen to a long string of high notes and piano lol.

"행복했던 날들이었다" by DAY6

"It's You" by Sam Kim (feat. ZICO)

"GANADARA" by Jay Park (feat. IU)

"Phonecert" by 10cm

I specially picked these songs because they use phrases, words, and grammar structures that are common in written Korean, and the way they use them makes it very easy to understand and adjust to. Check out my corresponding Instagram post because I spent a crazy amount of time working on the graphics for each slide lol.

I hope your day is going well~

Here's to another wonderful day of language learning!~

Alison, The Linguist

[alison-the-linguist]

Lyric Breakdown: "Childish" by LambC

What is Lyric Breakdown?

A segment that focuses on picking apart digestible parts of songs so that you can learn to be comfortable in the world of Korean (look below for a detailed explanation and instructions on how to use this post).

Which level is best suited for this?

Lower-intermediate to advanced. Beginners are welcome, but I will not be explaining basic concepts so it will be hard to follow if you don't already have a base in Korean.

What is the world of Korean?

Lots of learners think being able to translate something back and forth between different languages means they understand fully. I (partially) disagree. English is English and Korean is Korean. They express and view messages in different ways and therefore should not be looked at as two different ways to convey a message, but rather two different worlds. In the world of English, you say something a certain way, and in the world of Korean, you say it a different way. Learning to live in the world of Korean, I believe, is the best way to become independent in your learning journey. Living in the world of Korean means only relying on English (or any other language) as a quick double-check, not as a crutch. I recommend you use this post like this:

1. Read the lyrics and see how much you understand 2. Swipe to the next picture and look at the vocabulary and grammar I listed. (Do NOT look at the translation yet) Is there anything you don't know? Read the definition or look through the related lesson. 3. Go back to the initial page with the lyrics. Do you understand the message? 4. Double-check with the translation.  5. Finally, notice. Notice how much the translation misses the message being conveyed in Korean. Notice how different it feels in Korean vs. English. Notice how you might say it differently in English to convey a different aspect of the message in Korean. Notice how you might say it most naturally in English. Notice how much of the original message you miss when you say it most naturally in English. 6. Welcome to the world of Korean.

Here we go.

1.(손을 잡을 때) 네 손을 잡을 때 놓치지 않겠다 말해줄게

Vocabulary

손을 잡다 = to grab (someone's hand), to hold someone's hand 놓치다 = to miss, lose, let go of (something that one was holding)

Grammar

(으)ㄹ 때 = a time when (link below)

겠다 (in this particular sentence) is the shortened form of 겠다고 (TTMIK Level 5 Lesson 17, Level 6 Lesson 16)

Raw Translation

(when I hold/grab your hand) when I hold/grab your hand, I'll tell you that I won't let go

2. (네가 안길 때) 네가 안길 때 사랑 받게끔 느끼게 할게

Vocabulary

안기다 = to be held/hugged (reference the grammar link in the description to see why 네가 was used instead of 너를)

Grammar

안기다 = causative verb form of 안다 (TTMIK Level 7 Lesson 11)

게끔 = to the extent of... (link below)

게 하다 = to make something a certain way, to make something happen (link

Raw Translation

(when you hug me) when you hug me, I’ll make it so you can feel my love

3. 질리도록 말해줬어도 네가 제일 이쁘다 말해줄게

Vocabulary

질리다 = to be sick of, tired of (something) 이쁘다 = colloquial form of 예쁘다

Grammar

도록 = (TTMIK Level 7 Lesson 29)

Raw Translation

I’ll tell you you’re the prettiest, even if you get tired of me saying it

Here's to another wonderful day of learning languages!~

Alison, The Linguist

Grammar Lessons and Further Study

(으)ㄹ 때 

Hi, guys!I'm ggomi.In this video, we'll learn korean grammar 'V/A-(으)ㄹ 때 '.This grammar means the period of time or a case while something i

Causative Verbs:

Let's learn about '사동사' in korean grammar. [ENG sub]

Hi, guys!I'm ggomi.Today we'll learn about causative verbs in korean.Causative verbs are used when an subject does something directly to an

게끔:

게 하다:

도록:

[alison-the-linguist]

Top 5 Language Learning YouTubers

After studying languages for 7 years now, I've explored several resources to make the process of acquiring language more seamless. One of my favorite things is watching other language learner's videos. It's not only a great way to find new methods to try, but also extremely motivating to know that there are people out there in the same pursuit as me: learning a language to connect with people. There are obviously a bunch of lovely language learning channels on YouTube, but I thought I'd share the ones that have helped me the most in my language learning journey. Enjoy~

1. Robin Macpherson

The most delightful polyglot on the internet

He's honest, yet optimistic, which makes his videos motivating and fun to watch

Has a lot of study methods for the ✨intensive study fam✨

Click here for his YouTube channel

2. Olly Richards

I really enjoy the polyglot method-breakdown videos he does (especially the one for Steve Kaufmann)

Has a lot of general tips, as well as specific tips for learning

Click here for his YouTube channel

3. Luca Lampariello

Has lot of useful tips for overarching skills (listening, memorizing vocab, etc.)

I like how in-depth he explains study methods, it leaves no room for misinterpretation

Click here for his YouTube channel

4. Steve Kaufmann

I love the videos where he just talks about his current study routine. Seeing him explain the logic behind his learning strategies, as well as the obstacles he encounters is really helpful. It's also just lovely to see someone talk about how much they enjoy the journey of learning a language. A common (but toxic) habit of many language learners is the need to find the ✨best✨ method to get the ✨best✨ results.

Enjoy the process, guys 🧡

Click here for his YouTube channel

5. Matt vs. Japan

Matt is VERY serious about mastering Japanese to the highest level possible, which is good and bad lol

He has tons of pearls of wisdom to offer if you're looking to master a language or specific skill. However, if you're not the type to obsess over impeccable intonation, then his content may seem a bit tedious (I'm just trying to objectively explain the content on his channel, don't come for me please 🙂)

Click here for his YouTube channel

Who are some of your favorite language learning YouTubers? Let me know!

As always, here's to another wonderful day of language learning!~

Alison, The Linguist

[alison-the-linguist]

Why Did Taeil and Shotaro Rip a Piece of Paper When They Said 찢었다?

When I was watching the most recent NCT News episode, this particular section caught my eye (you probably already guessed) because it taught fans useful phrases and had examples of those phrases. For those of you who don’t know, I love examples. The only problem is that the translation for 찢었다 was not accurate in the fact that the translator did not explain the literal meaning (which unfortunately was necessary for understanding this section of the video). I hope this post helps fellow NCTzens feel more confident about learning slang in Korean. Koreans love puns so, if you’re not sure, look up the literal meaning before anything else.

And Now, The Explanation

찢었다 is slang that describes something awesome or someone that did something really cool.  It can be translated to something like "WOW" or "That was AWESOME!" or "they were really cool!” It comes from the word 찢다 which means to rip, which is why Taeil and Shotaro ripped the paper. It was a pun.  

A link to the original video can be found here at 11:14 Another example of 찢었다 being used can be found here (at 06:17).

As always, I hope you enjoyed this post and here’s to another wonderful day of language learning!~

Feel free to come and support my Instagram~

Alison, The Linguist

[alison-the-linguist]

How I Study Songs to Learn Korean

Before we begin, I would like to say that I personally believe this is a pretty advanced method. I have always been a fan of intensive learning methods, but even as an intermediate learner, this might be a struggle. I still encourage you to read this for future reference, but A1-B1 learners beware lol.

The Point

The most obvious reason I do this is that I simply like K-pop, and I want to be able to deeply understand the songs that I love. The other reason I do this is because Korean songs are like bite-sized novels. They use the written language that I so want to get used to, but they are short. I don't have a problem with long projects, but since this activity is already an intensive learning method, being able to finish significant chunks that I can see with my own eyes is really rewarding. With a book, there's chapters, but songs are only a good poem's length. Songs are shorter than a chapter, but give me a sense of accomplishment as good as finishing a book. This method is basically training you to read books, but in a very controlled, familiar environment. The concepts of many K-pop songs like romantic relationships and following your dreams are not new to us, and the song is (probably) only three and a half minutes long. The perfect way to dip our feet into the vast ocean that is reading novels in a foreign language. Now, let me tell you how I do it.

How I Do It

1. Pick a song

I don't even look at the lyrics until I have established whether the song I will be studying is a ballad or not. Why does this matter? Because 1) ballads are easier to study, and 2) I can practice transcribing if I work with a ballad. Ballads generally make more sense than rap, they usually tell a story so the biggest thing you have to worry about is running into a confusing metaphor. If you are just starting out with written language or are still in the intermediate range, I recommend starting with ballads. And wait, before you continue scrolling, I don't just mean sad, slow songs. I mean songs like this, this, and this. Songs where they enunciate pretty well and sing at a slower pace. These kinds of songs are easy on your ears, and they're also good transcription material. I recommend staying away from party-worthy swag songs like this or this. They may be bops, but they usually don’t make a lot of sense and don’t offer any value in terms of language learning. 

2. Transcribe (if applicable)

First, listen to the song all the way through (if you haven't already), then either get out a notebook or turn on your computer. Now, pick 3 colors to write with. I personally have green, teal, and blue; I like how it looks like a transition from not knowing the song in the beginning to learning it at the end (reference the picture below). Then, you're going to listen to the song in short millisecond spurts, trying to write down what they're saying (in your first color). Try not to rewind, because you'll be doing this twice. Get down as much as you can on the first try, then revise on the second (write your revisions in your second color). Then, look up the lyrics and write down anything you heard wrong, or any spacing you got wrong in your third color. Here's a picture of mine. 

Now you have a lovely, colorful estimation of everything you know now, and everything you have not yet learned! How exciting!

3. Listen to the song while reading the lyrics.

Pay attention to where the singer pauses, and where they put emphasis. Korean songs tend to turn the table over when it comes to sentence order (modifiers flying everywhere!) so it helps to listen to the song because it will clarify where a statement begins and ends. 

4. Flip to the next page in your notebook (or online document) and open up Papago (or your preferred translator)

Before you get too excited, make sure to open up both Papago Translator and Naver Dictionary. You will need BOTH.

5. Now, tear that thing apart

Look up words that you don't know, but only write down the ones that you will probably see or use soon. Writing down the word for “doggy-paddle” might not be the most useful depending on your level in your target language. I always make sure to find at least one example sentence for every word I look up, so I know how to use it. This is where you use Naver Dictionary. Not only can you cross-reference different dictionaries, but they have a TON of example sentences made by native speakers (click here for my detailed explanation of how I look up words). Be sure to write down the sentence/phrase that you saw that word in the song, as well. Try to make it short, keep only the part of the line that has to do with that word. Also keep an eye out for interesting phrases/sentences, things that make you think “Oh! I didn’t know you could say it like that.” Don’t be afraid to write down phrases that make absolutely no sense either (you can ask your language partner/tutor later). I usually write the example sentences from the song and any interesting phrases in different colors so they stand out from the rest of the text. Here's what my notes look like. Pink is for the example sentences from the song, purple is for interesting phrases. 

6. Review

Now, you have to review what you've learned. There's two main ways I recommend. 1) make flashcards for the vocabulary, and 2) listen to the song a lot more often. I personally have taken a break from flashcards and just flip through my notes every few days, then sing the song, envisioning the story of the lyrics. No matter how you review the stuff in your notes, make sure to listen to this song again. Whether it be after you finish taking your notes, when you get up tomorrow, while you take shower, hell, set it as your alarm, just listen to it A LOT. The best way to remember language is to hear it in context a thousand and one times. If possible, I also recommend reading the lyrics as you listen to it. This is will reinforce all the vocabulary and phrases visually, which will help A LOT.

Final Thoughts

The best way to learn a language is to have fun while doing so, so don’t be afraid of using methods that other people call slow or difficult, as long as you have a good time while doing them. As always, I hope your language learning journey is going well, if you have any questions, feel free to message me, and here's to another wonderful day of language learning~

Alison, The Linguist

[alison-the-linguist]

How I Look Up Korean Words

There are two sites/apps I use to look up Korean words: Papago Translator and Naver Dictionary. Let me show you how I use them.

Step One: Is this for intensive study or a quick check?

Depending on why you’re looking up this Korean word, you may only need Papago Translator. For quick searches during extensive studying, I recommend simply going to Papago Translator and reading the results. If you’re making flashcards or taking intensive notes, however, go to Step Two.

Step Two: Look up the word/phrase in Naver Dictionary

After putting in your search, Naver Dictionary will not only bring up results for every word in the phrase (if you searched a phrase) but will also bring up example sentences from both users and V LIVE subtitles. At the bottom, you can also find the Papago Translator result, if applicable. For some unknown (to me) reason, Papago Translator does not always bring up results, even if the word/phrase exists in Naver Dictionary.

Step Three: Click on the word you want

Some Korean words are spelled the same, but are based on different Chinese characters. When you search a word in Naver Dictionary, make sure to skim the definition to make sure it sounds right. Think about the context you found the word in and see if that definition makes sense. If it does, click on it. 

Step Four: Check multiple dictionaries

I usually skim over Neungyule, then go straight to Basic Dict. Neungyule gives a good half-Korean, half-English definition, but I like to use Basic Dict. because it gives the definition as it would to a native Korean speaker. It also provides the natural English definition, as well as the translation of the natural Korean definition. (It also tells you how to use it in a sentence, if applicable, e.g. if it’s normally used with certain particles or not (see the gray part at the bottom of this picture)

Step Five: Find examples

I usually look under both Neungyule and Basic Dict. for at least one example per definition. If a word has multiple definitions, such as 표류하다 (to float OR to wander), I will find an example sentence for both definitions. I will then go down to the V LIVE subtitle section. (For those who don’t know, V LIVE is a streaming platform for mostly Korean celebrities and influencers). The V LIVE subtitle section is a magical place because it not only provides the native subtitle (Korean), but also the translation subtitle (English). This way, you can see the original sentence and the (presumably) most natural translation all in one place! You can also click on a link at the bottom of each example to view the video that the sentence came from to get the full context. When looking over the V LIVE example sentences, keep an eye out for similar usage. Some words are used in a specific structure or expression that might not appear in the official dictionary. Some words may also be more common in formal settings like radio shows rather than casual settings like conversations about daily life. When I look for examples, I try to find two kinds of sentences: sentences that I might say myself and sentences that best represent the way that word is used. For example, let’s take 갇히다. This means “to be trapped” or “to be locked up.” A sentence that I might actually say is:

오늘 아침에 엘리베이터 안에 갇혔다.

I was trapped in (an) elevator this morning. 

One sentence that gives a good representation of the word and its usage is:

감옥에 갇히다

to be stuck/locked up in prison; to be imprisoned

Now, you might be thinking, Alison, why are you writing your sentences in written speech? Isn’t that too formal and literary? My answer is: I prefer writing my sentences in the original dictionary form (that 먹는다, 했다 form) because it cuts down on distractions. I want to focus on the word and its usage, and alternate sentence endings honestly aren’t worth my time in this context. Of course, if I find an example from V LIVE, I might keep the original wording, but taking the time to conjugate the sentence is a step you can eliminate. I would also like to add that when looking for example sentences, you DO NOT have to find complete sentences. The sentence above is not a complete sentence, but it still lets me know how to use this word. I tend to write down shorter sentences anyway, because it’s just not worth my time to find the perfect, full sentence. You also don’t even have to write a sentence. If I am not mistaken, the example sentence above is considered a word chunk rather than a sentence. Word chunks are highly revered in the polyglot community because they keep the essential part of the sentence (particles, commonly paired-with words) but get rid of all of the unnecessary parts (everything else). 

That’s It! 

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to hit up my inbox. I hope you enjoyed this post, and here’s to another wonderful day of language learning!~

Alison, The Linguist

[alison-the-linguist]

Hey~~ 안녕~~ 哈喽～～

Hi, I’m Alison, the linguist. I make content to guide and empower fellow language learners so more people can connect by speaking each other’s language. 

About Me

I'm a language coach who is hopelessly in love with the 23 members of the K-pop group NCT. I started learning languages in the spring of 2015 when I discovered K-pop for the first time (I just had to know what they were saying lol). As I continued to learn, I realized what an amazing experience it is to learn about other cultures and languages. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to truly talk to people in their native language. 

Name: Alison 

Korean name: 문화윤

Chinese name: 王花云

Languages I'm currently learning: Korean, Mainland Mandarin Chinese

Languages I want to learn in the future: Japanese, Cantonese, Italian, Indonesian, Polish, French

NCT Biases Per Unit: 

127: Taeyong

Dream: Renjun

WayV: XiaoHenYang (I can't choose lol)

[tiensmoiaucourant]

[vocative]

[11.03.17] 52/100 days of productivity 

Reviewing some Greek third declension nouns. I promise you I do more than just study and drink coffee! 

This week was very busy, but I’m happy with the work I did. I’m going home this weekend, and I’m looking forward to taking some time off from studying!