Pronunciation

This summer break I worked diligently on learning many things Korean. As many of you know, school started back up last Monday and a group of 4 very cute and super excited Asian boys in my study hall were asking me all about Christian. They were happy to hear that we have purchased a rice cooker. They consider it to be of utmost importance.

One of the boys is Korean-American, this had been established earlier in his math class, so I asked if he spoke Korean which he does. I told them how I had been working on the language but was kind of embarrassed because, like with all non-English, I know I am struggling with pronunciation. I tried a phrase I know super well, prefaced with "Tell me if you can understand what I say" to which he said "No", kind of giggled, asked me what I was trying to say and then pronounced it correctly. This put me on a mission. If the 12 year old GT kid doesn't understand me how will the 2 year old?

Today he comes up to me during study lab:

him - "Mrs. R can I ask you a questions?"

me - "Chol lee nee" (are you sleepy)

him - "Um, no, hey wait I could understand you that time."

me - "Me an he" (I'm sorry)

him - looking even more confused - "Oh hey you just said you're sorry."

I showed him the MP3 player I have a recording of pronunciations on - he sure has a brilliant. smile.