My Lonely Planet is full of eels

Here are some actual sentences taught in the Lonely Planet Korean phrasebook which, while not quite “My hovercraft is full of eels”, tickled me once I realised that trying to find silliness was another whole motivation for using language learning materials. If it doesn’t amuse you so much first off (and you don’t have the more sensible motivation of learning Korean), try picturing saying these things to immigration or the receptionist in your hotel:

p’ibu e t’ongjung-i issoyo = I have a pain in my skin
 
maengjangul umjigilsuga opsoyo = I can’t move my appendix

chon changnogyo indeyo, kohoenun chal annagayo = I’m a Presbyterian, but I’m not practicising

imshinjung ishin-gayo? = Are you pregnant?
 
chon suhyorun wonhaji annundeyo = I don’t want a blood transfusion
 
choge musun gochi eyo? kugol odie ssoyo? = What flower is that? What is it used for?
 
t’ohalgot kat’ayo = I think I’m going to throw up
 
gunuryogo noryokjung-iero = I’m trying to give up (but???)
 
kongt’eipu’u issoyo? = Is there a blank tape?
 
chon taemach’orul kakkumshik p’iwoyo = I smoke marijuana occasionally
 
minjui iyagi durushossoyo? = Did you hear about democracy?
 
yogi pokchi jongch’aegi ottaeyo? = How is the social welfare program here?

chibe kayagessoyo nomu p’igon haeyo = I’m tired. I’d better go home
 
yogiga musun toshi eyo - What city is this?

san eso sarayo - I live in the mountains
 
(chonun) musowoyo - I’m afraid
 
rullet haljul aseyo? = Do you play roulette?

hoju yohaenggaek kurup poshinjok issoyo? = Have you seen a group of Australians?
 
opera-e kago ship’oyo = I feel like going to the opera

choesong hande, cho ch’um jal mot ch’woyo = I’m sorry, I’m a terrible dancer
 
sonsaengnim choa? = Is your teacher nice?
 
iyagi hanun-got ul choahaseyo? = Do you like talking?
 
onu t’imi songjogi cheil choayo? = Who’s at the top of the league?
 
cheil kakka-un sukeit’ujang ga odieyo? = Where’s the nearest ice rink?
 
rak’et pililsu issoyo? = Can I hire a racket?

naip’u chom katta jushillaeyo? = Please bring me a knife

If you haven’t watched that classic Monty Python sketch, go back to the top and click on it right now! If you remember it as fondly as me, you might be interested in some of these other obsessive sites:

Translations of “My hovercraft is full of eels”

A wikipedia page just on this one sketch (!)

The whole script of the sketch

Tags: Humour, Quotes, Youtube

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pmand is filed under Language learning tips, Learning Korean, Linguistics book reviews, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, Materials, Phrasebooks, Popular linguistics books, Self-study materials, TEFL, Teaching, Teaching English in Korea. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.