1. What are your earliest memories related to writing?
My earliest memory of writing goes back to 2005 when I was in 8th grade. I was preparing the admission exam for foreign high school. To apply, I needed an iBT score as a qualification. iBT had four parts – listening, reading, writing, and speaking. So, I started to learn how to write 5-paragraph essay. I learned how to how to organize the ideas and details and how to structure. That was the first time I started to learn academic essays, and I'm still applying some of the lessons that I learned in that period.
2. How do you feel about writing in your first language compared to writing in English?
For me, writing in Korean and English is both very challenging tasks. I have mixed feelings about writing in Korean because advantages and disadvantages co-exist. When writing in Korean, some parts of writing become much easier for me. First, conveying my ideas becomes easier. When writing in English, I have to look up the right words and come up with sentence structures to fully express my ideas, which is sometimes sophisticated for me. However, in Korean, those processes take shorter time for me due to Korean is my mother tongue. For example, choosing proper vocabulary is much easier because I can understand the different nuance of various words much better than English words. So, it seems like my burden decreases.
However, when it comes to Korean writing, everyone's expectations toward my writing become higher, including myself. Everyone expects me to produce a higher quality piece of writing compared to that of English. Therefore, it requires me more time to consider, write and revise when I write in Korean. This burdens me although I'm writing in Korean. So in the end, it all comes back to start; Writing is difficult in any languages.
3. Have you ever done any writing for yourself only – letters to friends or relatives, journals, diaries, poems? If so, explain how this writing was different from the writing you did for school assignments?
These days, I have a lot of chances to write letters to my friends who are serving at the army right now. Basically, it is equally difficult to choose what to write and how to structure it. However, I feel like I can write in much more casual manner when I'm writing letters. Often, when I'm writing letters, I suddenly realize that I'm following my stream of consciousness although I once organized what and how to write. Also, there's no need to write in formal manners unlike academic writings. Therefore, I can use new words, abbreviations. Also, it doesn't have to be perfect in grammars or structures.
201001081 Rho Ryun majoring in EIT.
ReplyDeleteComments.
I took a TOFEL test 2005 too. But the aim was just to test my English ability. Because the purpose of learning is different, I think you and I had a different experience. But the result is pretty much the same. I also learned many lessons from studying it. And the words I memorized in that period helped me a lot until now!
Everybody in this class seems to have the same problems. I hope I eventually could write an essay in English freely. “WE GO TOGHETHER, 같이 갑시다”
I totally agree with your idea. I had a friend of mine who serve the military service in GOP. Because I know it must be hard, I try to send as many letters as possible. When I read my letter before putting it in envelope, I realize that there are too many Internet words contained. It was written much more casual manner. Anyway, I recommend you to send many mails to your friend. As an experienced person, I firmly convinced that the letter you sent will be great help. Army members wait letters from their friends or family with a craned neck. I will keep my finger crossed for your friend
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ReplyDelete201102861 Huyoung Lee
ReplyDeleteWow! It's surprising that you prepared for iBT and learned how to write an academic essay in that early age! I absolutely had no idea when I was in 8th grade... I just enjoyed my life. Wasn't it difficult? My first experience of academic writing is after entering HUFS and still I feel difficulty on it. I'd prefer narrative essays or freewriting.
I was so surprised that your answer was very similar to my one. I've just read the other's post before yours and was too, surprised because his idea was just what I had written in my answer. I think English writing is a challenge for every Korean students and what they recognize as a difficulty is almost same. It's true that people expect high-quality writing in case of Korean writing, because we are University students and also grown-ups. It gives me a great pressure, too.
I love stream of consciousness! Recently I sent a long message to my friend who's in Hawaii with my stream of consciousness and it was so fun. I feel totally free and think about the greatness of freedom of expression. I never want to imagine the world I can't freely express what I want to say. Are letters the biggest part of your personal writing? I mainly write diaries. But I think I should write letters to my beloved people, too.