Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Miss Yun-erisms, Part I


So... Koreans say funny things sometimes. Even though these are not all Miss Yun-specific, she was pretty much the inspiration for this post, so I am naming it in her honor.

The funny stuff of late:

Deuces Wild
Context: I had my hand on the right side of my stomach and was grimmacing, following another dose of Korean lunchtime intestinal-hate when Miss Yun spotted me.

Miss Yun: "Jennifer, are you okay?"

Me: "Yeah, I'm okay. It's just that my stomach hurts. I'm not sure how you say in Korea... (pausing while trying to conjure word for indigestion)..."

Miss Yun: "OH! Jennifer! You can't... make a deuce? I'm sorry!"


... sigh.

I Hate My Job
Context: Sleepily trying to make conversation with my third-grade before-school students one morning.

Me: "So, Ju Hyun, what did you do this weekend?"

Ju Hyun: "Working."

Me: "Oh, really? What do you do?"

Ju Hyun: (puzzled expression then rapid-fire Korean discussion with my co-teacher, Mr. Hyun)

Mr. Hyun: (completely non-plussed, reading a newspaper) "Picks up cow shit."


Jesus What?
Context: Regular class lesson, probably doing a Jeopardy game.

Me: "Okay, class, what is another word for 'religion'? Do you know?"

One of my students, Sang-Cheol: "Superstition."


... my kids impress me sometimes. Polysyllabic English humor? I had to laugh.

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