Lesson 70 (Intermediate 1A Lesson 8): I think this is better than that

The publishing of this post was slightly delayed since Listed was down again the same day (after I'd published the post for Lesson 69). It was also down when I was writing Lesson 69's post.

We ended chapter 3 by finishing up in the textbook (Listening & Speaking, Culture Note, Pronunciation), then started on Chapter 4.

For the Chapter 4 vocab, there was some additional pointers on the verbs related to wearing items, which I've included in the notes next to the respective verbs.

This chapter only has 3 grammar points instead of the usual 4, and we covered 2 of them in this lesson.

In the week leading up to this lesson, we received the notes for required for next term (for Chapters 4 to 6). The invoice was given the week before. From there, I can tell that we are going to have a test after Chapter 4 is done. If we add in a revision lesson, I would hazard a guess that the test is in 4 weeks, but it's possible (depending on how much we cover next week) it may be even be as soon as in 3 weeks. 😱

Listening and Speaking

There were some locations in Korea discussed in the first part. I am including them because it's a kind of cultural note.

Although the textbook mentions the places are in Korea, they are all specifically found in Seoul. The Hanok Village is also referring to the one found in Seoul.¹

1. 한옥마을 (Hanok Village)
2. 한강공원 (Hangang [Han River] Park)
3. 청계천 (Cheonggyecheon)
4. 여의도공원 (Yeouido Park)

Culture Note

The first part in the textbook mentions a "Korean Wave", but we didn't talk about it.

As with the previous chapters in this book, we took turns reading the passage, which was about someone entering a Korean singing contest that they didn't win.

The part we were supposed to share was on any favourite Korean song or movie (or even drama), but I had none. (If there's anything of Korean origin that I read, it's webtoons.)

Pronunciation

Recall the pronunciation of the initial consonant ㅎ when after a final consonant that has an aspirated version.

The sound becomes that of the stronger aspirated consonant version:

• 백화점 [배콰점] as [ㄱ] + [ㅎ] → [ㅋ]
• 못해요 [모태요] as [ㄷ] + [ㅎ]→ [ㅌ]
  • ㅅ is [ㄷ] when it is the final consonant.

The pronunciation for this chapter is about when the final consonant before ㅎ does not have a double consonant version (or if there's no final consonant).

When the initial consonant 'ㅎ' is positioned between vowels or after the final consonants 'ㄴ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅇ', the pronunciation of 'ㅎ' becomes much weaker.

• 은행 ~[으냉]²
• 영화 ~[영와]
• 결혼 ~[겨론]

Grammar

1. A-(으)ㄴ/V-는/N-인 것 같다

This is used to express conjecture or presumption.

It is frequently used by Koreans when they want to express their opinion in a more gentle way. Instead of saying that something "is expensive" (비싸네요!), they would say it as "I think it is expensive" or "it seems expensive" (비싼 것 같아요.)

Conjugation is similar to last chapter's third grammar point.

Examples:

1. 수미는 요즘 (안) 바쁜 것 같아요.
   • I (don't) think Sumi is busy these days.)
2. 지금 밖에 비가 (안) 오는 것 같아요.
   • I (don't) think it is raining outside now.
     • A scenario could be you are inside the shopping centre where there aren't any windows, but you see people holding wet umbrellas. Then you might conclude that it could be raining outside.
3. 저 사람은 지연 씨 동생인 것 같아요.
   • It seems like that person is Jiyeon's younger sibling.
4. 아닌 것 같아요. (아니다)
   • I don't think so.
5. 그런 것 같아요. (그렇다)
   • I think so.

Pronunciation

While the correct way is 같아요, in spoken language, it is sometimes pronounced as 같애요 [가태요].

Questions

1. 어떤 것 같아요?
   • (Asking about state, how a person looks to be feeling)
2. 뭐 하는 것 같아요?
   • (Asking about an action)

2. N보다

This is used when comparing two or more things or people.

In English, you would use "than".

보다 is attached to the second noun being compared. You use the subject marker 이/가 for the first noun (which is the subject).

However, that doesn't mean the first noun must appear before the second noun in the sentence. We use the markers to distinguish them, not their place in the sentence.

Examples

1. 오늘이 어제보다 더워요. (Today is hotter than yesterday.)
   • = 어제보다 오늘이 더워요.
2. 월요일보다 화요일이 더 바빠요. (I am busier on Tuesday than Monday./Compared to Monday, I am busier on Tuesday.)
   • = 화요일이 월요일보다 더 바빠요.
3. 치킨라이스보다 칠리크랩을 더 좋아해요. (I prefer chilli crab to chicken rice.)
   • = 칠리크랩을 치킨라이스보다 더 좋아해요.

I am not very sure about any difference in meaning when 더 ("more") is used compared to when it is omitted. In the first sentence, the sentence is translated with "hotter" even without 더 as the 보다 implies there is a comparison. I wonder if it's an emphasis thing?

Vocabulary

Stats

• Students: 5 (1 absent due to work - the one who's younger than me)
• Breakout room activities: No (possibly related to technical issues with the teacher's computer)