I think I'll restart something that I used to do a long time ago, when I just started writing. I call it 'thought pooping', though I could just as easily call it 'random train of thoughts' or 'string of nonsense that wastes my time as I write it'. Basically I start writing on a basic topic or what's on my mind at that particular moment and just take it away from there. So I could start with global warming and end with Jack the Ripper, if my train happens to lead me in that direction.
I just re-read that previous paragraph and realized, god, it's hideous. I've been reading works by Korean-American immigrants at the library and walked away disgusted every time, mainly because I could tell when it was written by a Korean-American. I'm not talking about the people who were born in an English-speaking country and can't speak a word of Korean. Their writings are indistinguishable from native speakers' work. No, what I read are works by Korea-educated people writing in English, and I simply cannot abide their writing. Oh, they may try their best to sound American. The grammar might be 100% correct and the idioms perfectly mastered, but there's just something underneath the surface that shows, like translucent skin covering the organs. It's as if I can read the countless grammar lessons behind it, the hours spent mastering the conjugations and memorizing vocabulary words, memorizing that "as...as" is used to compare things and "used to" is used for showing past actions. It's as if I can see the EBS teacher with his rod in front of the blackboard.
How can I see that? When I read an English piece written by a Korean, there's a general feeling of...what should I call it....orthodoxy emanating from it. It's perfectly square, the grammar contrived to fit the molds. Colored within the lines, you might say. And how meticulously so! The writing reeks of dictionary paper. At least that's how I see it.
Some of the writings on other students' blogs (although those don't disgust me!) feel that way too--almost fanatically proofread. But they are students, who are still learning. Who knows what wonderful things they have in store. I just hope that they won't end up like the self-proclaimed 'professional' writers who publish half-baked crap that lacks the natural-ness (?) native writers have.
And my very first paragraph was exactly like that.
God, I sound so mean in this. I sound so intolerant of Korean writing, when I myself am part of the same demographic! This is ridiculous.
Interesting diatribe you have here. One of my other students from last semester wrote an essay with a similar sentiment, and while I can understand the frustration, I can neither sympathize or empathize with that kind of cultural dilemma. I've never been forced to learn another language, but I really should learn more Korean. But when it comes to writing, in my mind, writing is writing. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. Most of the time it's neither - because the writer hasn't found their "voice." It sounds cheesy, but I think it's important. But voice is something that always changes as we get older (and, perhaps, more complacent). I think I was a better writer when I was younger when it came to certain forms. But some of the stuff I read from my highschool/university days is just so.... over done. But it wasn't boring.
답글삭제Anyways, the student I had wrote an essay about this article, which you might enjoy reading:
http://nymag.com/news/features/asian-americans-2011-5/
I personally don't like it. But that's just me.
Okay Joelle - I don't know what "Thought Pooping" is for, but it seems to me to be sort of a reflective essay that sort of ties in with an experience at KMLA, so I will count it as that assignment, even thought it didn't exist at the time of writing this.
답글삭제You are lucky I'm being innovative with regards to your mysterious ways.