Today I have presented my would-be doctoral research to Dr. Kalaya Tingsabhad. I am quite happy with her comment and I am more and more inspired to go on my duty.
I will try to post my presentation on the blog.
8/31/07
8/16/07
Bow to the Land of Morning Calm: Korea
Bow to the Land of Morning Calm : Korea
By the end of April to the end of May 2007, I was granted a fellowship sponsored by the Korea Foundation to do research in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Before I proceed, let me relate my experience in English because I want to share it with my friends in Korea.
In fact, this trip should not be called a research trip because I rarely investigate any questions of my dissertation. The purpose is gathering the linguistic data for the research. Yes, my doctoral dissertation is something in Korean syntax and semantics. Why Korean? It is a matter of destiny and let me tell you next time.
What made my research trip unforgettable is the opportunity to visit 2 internationally renowned universities of Republic of Korea: Yonsei University and Seoul National University. All these were made possible by our beloved Chair of the Department, Dr. Kingkarn.
Of the Linguistics, it is (almost) totally different from ours because what most Korean linguists are interested and prefer is the formal Linguistics. You can experience what I said by searching “Korean Linguistics” through the Google. Fortunately, I was introduced to one of the founders of Korean Linguistics, Prof. Emeritus Dr. Lee Chung Min, Seoul National University. He is very keen on Korean Syntax, Semantics and Cognitive Sciences. Though he is of the main stream linguists, his consults contribute very much to my research. He guided me right to the relevant resources. Surely, a lot of valuable articles were downloaded. It was a really good chance for me to share with him about what’s going on at our Linguistic Department and several linguistic literatures. Difference in the linguistic schools notwithstanding, he also taught me to map the formal view onto the functional ones, for example, the syntactic relation, argument and adjunct, can be mapped onto the ground and figure relation. He also advised me to look from the viewpoint of the formal ones.
Apart from Linguistics, we enjoyed talking our topics, especially the Korean War. He is an eye witness, who experienced the cruelty of war.
For the linguistic data, I am very grateful to Prof. Dr. Lee Min Haeng, Chair of the Institute of Language and Information Studies, Yonsei University. His student, Ju Eun Seok, made all I wanted possible. Sometimes my requests made him moody but 3 days later everything went on well. As ever, Eun Seok made it. Like other linguistic communities in the world, those in Korea tend to use more and more linguistic data from the corpus, called Sejong corpus. Sejong corpus is sponsored by the Korean Government and houses linguistic data of 100 years. For my research, more than 10,000 pages in A4 size, were gathered. What’s interesting is that they are spoken language. This will make my research distinctive (if I succeed). Moreover, I really hope that our Government will follow the path as soon as possible.
Moreover, I am very impressed by the library of Yonsei University. It is quite small in comparison with our central library. However, it houses a lot of books and the reading room at the Ground floor is 24 hours on service. The Humanities reading room, where I enjoyed reading and sleeping is open to 22.00 hrs. Snack bars are available at the basement floor. Is it possible at our Faculty? A disadvantage is that each faculty doesn’t have its own library. That’s why the library is packed with students from 9 AM to late at night. It seems that the students are aware of their right in using University’s facilities. A lot of students spend the whole day or week at the library. They use all the facilities there, for examples, computer, internet and wireless services etc. I really hope our undergraduate and graduate students aware of this right.
Another thing to talk about the library is that our library, say clearly, books on Linguistics, is no less up-to-date than those at Yonsei. I myself always think that our library is packed with old dusted books, which are allergic to my health. However, it is not what I expected! Every time before I photocopied the books I need, I would cross check with our libraries both the faculty’s one and the central one. I found that 80% of those I found at Yonsei’s are available here at our faculty. These don’t include the academic journals. So please make use of the resources here. A lot of books and journals are available but only a few students touch them. Why don’t we make the library at our hub?
Another place I enjoyed shopping, apart from such high-end department stores as Lotte and Shin Se Gae, is Yonsei Bookstore. Unbelievably, there were a lot of Linguistics textbooks. Although most of them were of the formal ones, some cognitive and functional Linguistics stuffs could be found. At Kyobo, the biggest bookshop in Korea, I also found a lot of Linguistics textbooks. I spent more than 10,000 Baht on books. I don’t think that there are more Linguistics students in Korea than those in Thailand. Why do these 2 bookstores invest in Linguistic textbooks? I hope we can find one in our country.
For the attractions in Seoul, I think, like Bangkok, Seoul is packed with high rises and entertainment places, for examples, a cinema complex, shopping malls, luxurious eateries and night clubs. I myself don’t like films and parties. That’s why I spend most of the days at the library. I enjoy walking in the old city, which is not far away from my residence. I really thank Korea Foundation for the convenient apartment. It is located in a good location (Chinese Feng Shui), that is, it is in front of the Bukkhansan Mountain (the mountain of north). Every morning I woke up in Seoul, I enjoyed the sun ray. This make me understand the old name of Korea, which means the land of morning calm “Sho Seon”. Everyday I walked to Insadong, a small lane full of antiques and traditional shops and houses. Here you can enjoy walking and eating Korean typical confectionaries and food. I enjoyed shopping tea service set and souvenirs for my friends.
Another place you can’t miss if you go to Seoul is the War Memorial Museum. The history of Korea is here. Here you will understand why Korean people look so serious and unfriendly. In fact, they are very helpful and sensitive. They passed many wars and have been separate in 2 parts. In reality, the war has not yet ended. My big Oppa (elder brother in Korean) once told me that some of soldiers are dying and died in protecting the country at the border while most of the people work, celebrate or sleep so soundly in the city. At the war museum, I learnt that Korean people are always grateful to those joined the Korean War. Some words impress me “our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met 1950 – Korea – 1953”.
3 Years ago, before I started my Ph.D., I never knew and I am not bothered to know Korea and Korean. 3 years later, I just fall in love with the language and understand the people. Some discouraged me in doing research on the Korean language and said that there is nothing special in Seoul or Korea. I said “Even though there is nothing in Seoul, I will go there”. I know what is the soul of Seoul.
By the end of April to the end of May 2007, I was granted a fellowship sponsored by the Korea Foundation to do research in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Before I proceed, let me relate my experience in English because I want to share it with my friends in Korea.
In fact, this trip should not be called a research trip because I rarely investigate any questions of my dissertation. The purpose is gathering the linguistic data for the research. Yes, my doctoral dissertation is something in Korean syntax and semantics. Why Korean? It is a matter of destiny and let me tell you next time.
What made my research trip unforgettable is the opportunity to visit 2 internationally renowned universities of Republic of Korea: Yonsei University and Seoul National University. All these were made possible by our beloved Chair of the Department, Dr. Kingkarn.
Of the Linguistics, it is (almost) totally different from ours because what most Korean linguists are interested and prefer is the formal Linguistics. You can experience what I said by searching “Korean Linguistics” through the Google. Fortunately, I was introduced to one of the founders of Korean Linguistics, Prof. Emeritus Dr. Lee Chung Min, Seoul National University. He is very keen on Korean Syntax, Semantics and Cognitive Sciences. Though he is of the main stream linguists, his consults contribute very much to my research. He guided me right to the relevant resources. Surely, a lot of valuable articles were downloaded. It was a really good chance for me to share with him about what’s going on at our Linguistic Department and several linguistic literatures. Difference in the linguistic schools notwithstanding, he also taught me to map the formal view onto the functional ones, for example, the syntactic relation, argument and adjunct, can be mapped onto the ground and figure relation. He also advised me to look from the viewpoint of the formal ones.
Apart from Linguistics, we enjoyed talking our topics, especially the Korean War. He is an eye witness, who experienced the cruelty of war.
For the linguistic data, I am very grateful to Prof. Dr. Lee Min Haeng, Chair of the Institute of Language and Information Studies, Yonsei University. His student, Ju Eun Seok, made all I wanted possible. Sometimes my requests made him moody but 3 days later everything went on well. As ever, Eun Seok made it. Like other linguistic communities in the world, those in Korea tend to use more and more linguistic data from the corpus, called Sejong corpus. Sejong corpus is sponsored by the Korean Government and houses linguistic data of 100 years. For my research, more than 10,000 pages in A4 size, were gathered. What’s interesting is that they are spoken language. This will make my research distinctive (if I succeed). Moreover, I really hope that our Government will follow the path as soon as possible.
Moreover, I am very impressed by the library of Yonsei University. It is quite small in comparison with our central library. However, it houses a lot of books and the reading room at the Ground floor is 24 hours on service. The Humanities reading room, where I enjoyed reading and sleeping is open to 22.00 hrs. Snack bars are available at the basement floor. Is it possible at our Faculty? A disadvantage is that each faculty doesn’t have its own library. That’s why the library is packed with students from 9 AM to late at night. It seems that the students are aware of their right in using University’s facilities. A lot of students spend the whole day or week at the library. They use all the facilities there, for examples, computer, internet and wireless services etc. I really hope our undergraduate and graduate students aware of this right.
Another thing to talk about the library is that our library, say clearly, books on Linguistics, is no less up-to-date than those at Yonsei. I myself always think that our library is packed with old dusted books, which are allergic to my health. However, it is not what I expected! Every time before I photocopied the books I need, I would cross check with our libraries both the faculty’s one and the central one. I found that 80% of those I found at Yonsei’s are available here at our faculty. These don’t include the academic journals. So please make use of the resources here. A lot of books and journals are available but only a few students touch them. Why don’t we make the library at our hub?
Another place I enjoyed shopping, apart from such high-end department stores as Lotte and Shin Se Gae, is Yonsei Bookstore. Unbelievably, there were a lot of Linguistics textbooks. Although most of them were of the formal ones, some cognitive and functional Linguistics stuffs could be found. At Kyobo, the biggest bookshop in Korea, I also found a lot of Linguistics textbooks. I spent more than 10,000 Baht on books. I don’t think that there are more Linguistics students in Korea than those in Thailand. Why do these 2 bookstores invest in Linguistic textbooks? I hope we can find one in our country.
For the attractions in Seoul, I think, like Bangkok, Seoul is packed with high rises and entertainment places, for examples, a cinema complex, shopping malls, luxurious eateries and night clubs. I myself don’t like films and parties. That’s why I spend most of the days at the library. I enjoy walking in the old city, which is not far away from my residence. I really thank Korea Foundation for the convenient apartment. It is located in a good location (Chinese Feng Shui), that is, it is in front of the Bukkhansan Mountain (the mountain of north). Every morning I woke up in Seoul, I enjoyed the sun ray. This make me understand the old name of Korea, which means the land of morning calm “Sho Seon”. Everyday I walked to Insadong, a small lane full of antiques and traditional shops and houses. Here you can enjoy walking and eating Korean typical confectionaries and food. I enjoyed shopping tea service set and souvenirs for my friends.
Another place you can’t miss if you go to Seoul is the War Memorial Museum. The history of Korea is here. Here you will understand why Korean people look so serious and unfriendly. In fact, they are very helpful and sensitive. They passed many wars and have been separate in 2 parts. In reality, the war has not yet ended. My big Oppa (elder brother in Korean) once told me that some of soldiers are dying and died in protecting the country at the border while most of the people work, celebrate or sleep so soundly in the city. At the war museum, I learnt that Korean people are always grateful to those joined the Korean War. Some words impress me “our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met 1950 – Korea – 1953”.
3 Years ago, before I started my Ph.D., I never knew and I am not bothered to know Korea and Korean. 3 years later, I just fall in love with the language and understand the people. Some discouraged me in doing research on the Korean language and said that there is nothing special in Seoul or Korea. I said “Even though there is nothing in Seoul, I will go there”. I know what is the soul of Seoul.
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