Day 6: Is Slang Ruining Korean?

Dialogue

♪ Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.

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1. 1

   A 현우야, 내 논문 서론 좀 들어 줄래? 본론은 아직이고, 교수님 뵙기 전에 한번 말로 설명해 보고 싶어서.

   Hyeonuya, nae nonmun seoron jom deureo jullae? Bolloneun ajigigo, gyosunim boepgi jeone hanbeon mallo seolmyeonghae bogo sipeoseo.

   Hyunwoo, will you listen to my thesis introduction? The main part isn't done yet, but I want to try explaining it out loud before I see my professor.

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2. 2

   B 좋아, 커피 얻어 마셨으니까 들어 줘야지. 근데 주제가 뭐였지? 신조어였나?

   Joa, keopi eodeo masyeosseunikka deureo jwoyaji. Geunde jujega mwoyeotji? Sinjoeoyeonna?

   Sure, you bought the coffee, so I owe you. What was your topic again? New slang?

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3. 3

   A 응. 신조어 때문에 한국어가 망가진다고 걱정하는 기성세대가 많잖아. 난 그 반대 입장이야.

   Eung. Sinjoeo ttaemune Hangugeoga manggajindago geokjeonghaneun giseongsedaega manchana. Nan geu bandae ipjangiya.

   Yeah. Lots of older people worry that new slang is ruining Korean, right? I'm arguing the opposite.

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4. 4

   B 솔직히 난 걱정하는 쪽인데. 사촌 동생들이 하는 말을 들어 보면 무슨 뜻인지 하나도 모르겠어.

   Soljiki nan geokjeonghaneun jjoginde. Sachon dongsaengdeuri haneun mareul deureo bomyeon museun tteusinji hanado moreugesseo.

   Honestly, I'm on the worried side. When I listen to my little cousins, I can't understand a word they say.

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5. 5

   A 예를 들면? 구체적으로 어떤 말?

   Yereul deulmyeon? Guchejeogeuro eotteon mal?

   Like what? What exactly do they say?

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6. 6

   B 지난주에 초등학생 사촌한테 숙제 다 했냐고 물었더니 "어쩔티비"래. 그게 대답이야?

   Jinanjue chodeunghaksaeng sachonhante sukje da haennyago mureotdeoni "eojjeoltibi"rae. Geuge daedabiya?

   Last week I asked my cousin, who's in elementary school, if he'd finished his homework, and he said "So-what-TV." Is that an answer?

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7. 7

   A 하하, 그건 "어쩌라고"를 장난스럽게 바꾼 속어야. 원래 말을 알아야 그런 말장난도 할 수 있어.

   Haha, geugeon "eojjeorago"reul jangnanseureopge bakkun sogeoya. Wollae mareul araya geureon maljangnando hal su isseo.

   Ha, that's slang, a playful twist on "So what?" You have to know the original expression to play with it like that.

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8. 8

   B 그래도 그런 말만 쓰다가 의사소통이 안 되면 어떡해? 제대로 된 문장도 못 쓰게 되고.

   Geuraedo geureon malman sseudaga uisasotongi an doemyeon eotteokae? Jedaero doen munjangdo mot sseuge doego.

   But what if they only talk like that and end up unable to communicate? Or unable to write a proper sentence?

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9. 9

   A 그건 변화지 파괴가 아니야. 조선 시대 사람이 지금 우리가 하는 말을 들으면 똑같이 걱정할걸?

   Geugeon byeonhwaji pagoega aniya. Joseon sidae sarami jigeum uriga haneun mareul deureumyeon ttokgachi geokjeonghalgeol?

   That's change, not destruction. If someone from the Joseon era heard the way we talk now, they'd worry just the same, don't you think?

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10. 10

    B 듣고 보니 말 되네. 우리가 쓰는 말도 처음 나왔을 때는 다 신조어였겠네.

    Deutgo boni mal doene. Uriga sseuneun maldo cheoeum nawasseul ttaeneun da sinjoeoyeotgenne.

    Now that you put it that way, that makes sense. The words we use were probably all new slang once, too.

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11. 11

    A 그렇지. 말은 원래 계속 변하는 거야. 그리고 요즘 애들이 아무 데서나 신조어를 쓰는 것도 아니야.

    Geureochi. Mareun wollae gyesok byeonhaneun geoya. Geurigo yojeum aedeuri amu deseona sinjoeoreul sseuneun geotdo aniya.

    Exactly. Language has always been changing. And it's not as if kids today use slang everywhere.

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12. 12

    B 맞아, 사촌 동생도 할머니 앞에서는 절대 "어쩔티비" 안 하더라. 할머니한테는 "진지 드세요" 하고.

    Maja, sachon dongsaengdo halmeoni apeseoneun jeoldae "eojjeoltibi" an hadeora. Halmeonihanteneun "jinji deuseyo" hago.

    That's true. My cousin never says "So-what-TV" in front of our grandma. With her it's all "Please have your meal, Grandma."

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13. 13

    A 잠깐, 방금 그거 좋다! 같은 아이가 누구랑 말하느냐에 따라 말투를 바꾸는 거. 그거 한 장으로 따로 써야겠어.

    Jamkkan, banggeum geugeo jota! Gateun aiga nugurang malhaneunyae ttara maltureul bakkuneun geo. Geugeo han jangeuro ttaro sseoyagesseo.

    Wait, that's good! The same kid changing how they talk depending on who they're talking to. I should write a whole chapter on that.

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14. 14

    B 내 사촌 동생이 논문에 나오는 거야? 걔 이제 유명해지겠네.

    Nae sachon dongsaengi nonmune naoneun geoya? Gyae ije yumyeonghaejigenne.

    My little cousin's going to be in your thesis? He's going to be famous.

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15. 15

    A 이름은 안 밝혀. 대신 다음 주에 사촌 동생들 만날 때 나도 데려가. 부모님 허락받고 대화를 녹음해 보고 싶어.

    Ireumeun an balkyeo. Daesin daeum jue sachon dongsaengdeul mannal ttae nado deryeoga. Bumonim heorakbatgo daehwareul nogeumhae bogo sipeo.

    I won't use his name. But take me along when you see your cousins next week. I'd like to record them talking, with their parents' permission.

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16. 16

    B 알았어. 근데 가서 "어쩔티비" 들어도 화내지 마. 연구하러 가는 거니까.

    Arasseo. Geunde gaseo "eojjeoltibi" deureodo hwanaeji ma. Yeonguhareo ganeun geonikka.

    Okay. But don't get mad if you get a "So-what-TV." You're going there for research.

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