I lived in Korea for 14 years and at the end of that time I had a very limited knowledge of the Korean language. Why did I fail so miserably in learning and applying Korean as another language? Why am I not alone, as an adult learner, in failing to learn Korean, even when giving a reasonable commitment of time and effort? Is it that Korean is too difficult a language to learn, or is it that as an adult learner, my mind is too fossilized to allow the adapting of a new language? The truth is Korean is substantially different in sounds, vocabulary, structure, and logic than English, but this should not be an insurmountable problem for the mature mind given an adequate commitment and effort to learn the language. I think the fundamental problem is in the way the language is explained and taught to adult native-speakers of English. To illustrate this point I set out to learn Korean at the ripe old age of 62 through self-instruction, documenting the process, and developing a guide that can help others to understand Korean. Adult learners need to understand in order to accept new information, and to this end, this guide spends most of the text in giving explanation - there are no grammar or conversation exercises.Please note: This version was revised in 2017 and is printed in black and white only.For more information about other books by the author please check his website: https: //jameslifebooks.weebly.co
The author lived in Korea for 14 years as a language professor; his last position was in the English Linguistics Department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. In a last effort to learn the vocabulary of the Korean language and apply this knowledge, he developed a beginner's manual for others, so they may learn the language as adult English speakers. The book explains basic Korean in a way clearly understood by adult English speakers wanting to apply their Korean in a practical way. Who better to understands the needs of an adult learner of Korean than another learner struggling to understand. for more information about other books by the author please check his website: https: //jameslifebooks.weebly.com
