Comments on: Do you need to speak the language to be a regional expert? http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/ Korea... in Blog Format Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:55:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: R. Elgin http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-51044 R. Elgin Sun, 08 Oct 2006 06:30:23 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-51044 A person with insight, experience and wisdom will always be more useful than someone that can read a newspaper in that language. A person with insight, experience and wisdom will always be more useful than someone that can read a newspaper in that language.

]]> By: Richardson http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50987 Richardson Fri, 06 Oct 2006 16:18:30 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50987 <blockquote>I think any serious scholar of Korea ought to be able to read & comprehend: English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. </blockquote> Your definition eliminates 99+ percent of the group. And you forgot Russian. The only person I personally know who has that ability is Dr. Suh Dae-sook. But I think the overall assertion is nonsense.

I think any serious scholar of Korea ought to be able to read & comprehend: English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese.

Your definition eliminates 99+ percent of the group. And you forgot Russian. The only person I personally know who has that ability is Dr. Suh Dae-sook.

But I think the overall assertion is nonsense.

]]> By: Remort http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50972 Remort Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:24:40 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50972 I think any serious scholar of Korea ought to be able to read & comprehend: English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. At the very least, English, Korean and Japanese are necessary to fully understand the modern history of Korea and the resulting consequences of the Japan-Korea relationship. Chinese would definitely be helpful, but given nearly all of the material available in that language is censored it's simply distorted, useless crap. However, I have found that Chinese in Korea, and in the U.S. are quite willing to speak openly about their opinions, albeit to a much lessor extend in Japan. I included English in my opinion because most graduate and post-graduate work is published in English. Beyond language ability, or a lack of it, I believe most scholars outside of Asia view the educational system in Korea and Japan, and its works, as a complete joke. College students aren't required to attend classes or study. Rampant plagiarism occurs at every level of university (especially in China, Korea, and Japan), with a healthy dose of nepotism thrown in to the mix too in Korea. As I eluded to earlier, I don't think any communist country's educational system or works can be taken seriously, given every thing needs the Communist party's approval. However, there are many Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese that come to the States and do publish many scholarly works in English, but they have in most cases received some part of their education in the west, be it in England or in the States. --Remort I think any serious scholar of Korea ought to be able to read & comprehend: English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. At the very least, English, Korean and Japanese are necessary to fully understand the modern history of Korea and the resulting consequences of the Japan-Korea relationship. Chinese would definitely be helpful, but given nearly all of the material available in that language is censored it’s simply distorted, useless crap. However, I have found that Chinese in Korea, and in the U.S. are quite willing to speak openly about their opinions, albeit to a much lessor extend in Japan. I included English in my opinion because most graduate and post-graduate work is published in English.

Beyond language ability, or a lack of it, I believe most scholars outside of Asia view the educational system in Korea and Japan, and its works, as a complete joke. College students aren’t required to attend classes or study. Rampant plagiarism occurs at every level of university (especially in China, Korea, and Japan), with a healthy dose of nepotism thrown in to the mix too in Korea. As I eluded to earlier, I don’t think any communist country’s educational system or works can be taken seriously, given every thing needs the Communist party’s approval. However, there are many Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese that come to the States and do publish many scholarly works in English, but they have in most cases received some part of their education in the west, be it in England or in the States.

–Remort

]]> By: OhMyBlog http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50934 OhMyBlog Fri, 06 Oct 2006 00:41:23 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50934 I've long thought that, as went with Japan, the next generation of pontificators on things Korean would need to have the tongue - not to do a good job, but for credibility. But Robert has taken a good approach. It would indeed be arrogant prickism if the only argument you had against Bradley Martin, Aidan Foster-Carter and Seoul-based western reporters, for example, was language. In their case, language presents itself as a technical problem got around by interpreters and translators. B.R. Myers is a different kind of expert. It would be an odd expert in North Korean literature who couldn't read the original. I’ve long thought that, as went with Japan, the next generation of pontificators on things Korean would need to have the tongue - not to do a good job, but for credibility.

But Robert has taken a good approach.

It would indeed be arrogant prickism if the only argument you had against Bradley Martin, Aidan Foster-Carter and Seoul-based western reporters, for example, was language. In their case, language presents itself as a technical problem got around by interpreters and translators.

B.R. Myers is a different kind of expert. It would be an odd expert in North Korean literature who couldn’t read the original.

]]> By: SomeguyinKorea http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50848 SomeguyinKorea Wed, 04 Oct 2006 14:59:25 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50848 An expert, maybe not, but a good judge... An expert, maybe not, but a good judge…

]]> By: L'Ombre de l'Olivier http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50833 L'Ombre de l'Olivier Wed, 04 Oct 2006 11:32:20 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50833 <strong>Linguistically Challenged Experts...</strong> In one of those serendipitous events that makes blogging fun, Chris over at Buyo drew my attention to a new vintage of Martin Jacques article on Japan, at the same time that the Marmot's Hole points out a very interesting article at Coming Anarchy ab.... Linguistically Challenged Experts…

In one of those serendipitous events that makes blogging fun, Chris over at Buyo drew my attention to a new vintage of Martin Jacques article on Japan, at the same time that the Marmot’s Hole points out a very interesting article at Coming Anarchy ab….

]]> By: Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » South Korea: language and regional expert http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50807 Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » South Korea: language and regional expert Wed, 04 Oct 2006 04:36:47 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50807 [...] There is a discussion among some English bloggers in Korean concerning whether one needs to know the language to be a regional expert. Robert Koehler picks up the discussion in Marmot’s Hole. [...] [...] There is a discussion among some English bloggers in Korean concerning whether one needs to know the language to be a regional expert. Robert Koehler picks up the discussion in Marmot’s Hole. [...]

]]> By: MrChips http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50799 MrChips Wed, 04 Oct 2006 01:10:16 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50799 "for Korea, Korean-illiterate experts seem to be the norm rather than the exception" Really? I might be missing something, but, bloggers aside, who gets heaped into that group? Are they US-ROK political analysts or bonafide Korea history/cultural experts? The Korean studies profs and scholars I'm familiar with are all pretty comfortable with their Korean. They're not all Palais and Ledyard when it comes to language abilities but then again neither are many of the native Korean scholars... “for Korea, Korean-illiterate experts seem to be the norm rather than the exception”

Really? I might be missing something, but, bloggers aside, who gets heaped into that group? Are they US-ROK political analysts or bonafide Korea history/cultural experts? The Korean studies profs and scholars I’m familiar with are all pretty comfortable with their Korean. They’re not all Palais and Ledyard when it comes to language abilities but then again neither are many of the native Korean scholars…

]]> By: gbevers http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50795 gbevers Tue, 03 Oct 2006 23:40:06 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50795 When talking about Korean history, especially history involving nationalistic issues like "Dokdo," it also helps to know some <i>hanmun</i> since you cannot always trust Koreans to translate, in Korean or English, the original text correctly. For example, it is very common for Koreans to substitute "Dokdo" for other names that they just assume were references to "Dokdo." They also tend to ignore material that is important, but does not support their argument. That often leads to wrong conclusions, especially when it involves topics like "Dokdo." A person can learn a lot about a country by simply reading translations and making personal observations, but I, personally, would be embarrassed to call myself "an expert" on a country without knowing that country's language. In fact, even though I have lived in Korea for many years and know the language fairly well, I do not consider myself an expert on Korea or anything else. When talking about Korean history, especially history involving nationalistic issues like “Dokdo,” it also helps to know some hanmun since you cannot always trust Koreans to translate, in Korean or English, the original text correctly. For example, it is very common for Koreans to substitute “Dokdo” for other names that they just assume were references to “Dokdo.” They also tend to ignore material that is important, but does not support their argument. That often leads to wrong conclusions, especially when it involves topics like “Dokdo.”

A person can learn a lot about a country by simply reading translations and making personal observations, but I, personally, would be embarrassed to call myself “an expert” on a country without knowing that country’s language. In fact, even though I have lived in Korea for many years and know the language fairly well, I do not consider myself an expert on Korea or anything else.

]]> By: Richardson http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50787 Richardson Tue, 03 Oct 2006 20:30:55 +0000 http://www.rjkoehler.com/2006/10/04/do-you-need-to-speak-the-language-to-be-a-regional-expert/#comment-50787 Uugh, I need to get back to the language books... Uugh, I need to get back to the language books…

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