Badass Korean
You're cool like Korea... You’re a real BADASS, so learn to speak like one!Learn some Korean slang from the GreyRat before you become the linguistic equivalent of a 99-pound weakling.
The picture gets your attention. The expression is the real punchline. Here is the meaning and the scene behind it, straight from As Much as a Rat’s Tail.
컨닝하다
[cun-ning-ha-da]
to cheat on tests to be cunning
Test taking tactics Korean style. Sitting next to someone smarter… that’s 컨닝하다! Busted!! Guess that’s what you get for 컨닝하다! — Taking tests can be so much easier if you have ‘cunning’ and sit next to someone smarter than you! Ok, take a quick look, just don’t get busted!
Meaning & context
한국에서 “컨닝”은 영어 의미와 별개의 의미를 갖는다. 콩글리쉬화 된 이 단어의 뜻은 시 험에서 베끼는 것을 의미한다(몇몇의 한국인들은 아주 어려운 시험에 있어서 베끼는 것은 가끔은 해도 되는 것이라고 얘기한다).
“Cunning” in Korea is largely independent of the English meaning. The Konglicized version is to “cheat on a test (and get away with it)” with the connotation of “. . . like a fox,” and often said with pride as some young Koreans think that cheating is an acceptable way of overcoming the impossible expectations of the school system).
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 211–212. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
시험점수
English
Test Scores
얘들아, SAT점수 나왔대... 보러가자!
Guys, the SAT scores are posted… Let’s go see?
야! 나는 640점, 화석이는 660점이야.
Hey! I got a 640 and HwaSeok got a 660.
수학 아니면 언어? 난 수학은 겨우 600, 언어는 540인데.
On math or verbal? I only got 600 math and 540 verbal.
아니 합쳐서.
No, combined.
뭐? 난 너 컨닝한줄 알았는데?
What? I thought you did cunning?
나 화석이꺼 컨닝했어. 그리고 걔는 내꺼 컨닝하고.
I did cunning off HwaSeok. And he did cunning off of me.
바보냐! 다음에는 좀 똑똑한 애 옆에 앉아라!!
You idiots! You’re supposed to sit next to someone smart!!
From the book: notes & culture
Tried and True, Tiut Withdrew
from the public life it once knew.
An extra line across digut ㄷ cut
to tell that it was tough enough for what
Aspirated fully.
was to come. . . .
Separate and gruff, but no bully.
Voiced and vocal tiut ㅌ grew
strong and bold, though somewhat askew.
“
ㅌ, ㅌ, ㅌ,” it tutted trailing, uttering slowly it’s last “adieu.”
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