# "yes sir" in a Korean classroom



## IcemanSK

This is where I tap those of you who have trained in Korea in a class completely in Korean.

Here in America, we're fond of responding "yes sir" to every command of the instructor. Do Korean students respond the same way in Korean, or do they respond another way? I occasionally train with some TSD friends who use a mixture of Korean & Japanese in class. When the instructor gives a command, the students simply say "yes" in Japanese.

Thanks for your help. Wait a few days, I'm sure I'll have another odd question that I think at 2:00 am.:ultracool


----------



## msmitht

The usual answer is "Ne Sa Bum" or "Ne Qwang Jang". Some old schools still add the "Nim" at the end, but only in america.


----------



## jks9199

Don't forget that in some languages, the honorific equivalent of "sir" or "ma'am" is added as part of the tense, rather than being a separate word.  I don't know if this is the case -- but it's worth remembering.


----------



## Gizmo

msmitht said:


> The usual answer is "Ne Sa Bum" or "Ne Qwang Jang". Some old schools still add the "Nim" at the end, but only in america.



AFAIK, you should always add the honorific "-nim", when adressing a higher rank. When travelling with a Korean TKD group, the only moments when they used "sabum" instead of "sabumnim" was adressing a junior, like an 8th Dan speaking to a 5th Dan. The other way around it was always "sabumnim".


----------



## miguksaram

IcemanSK said:


> This is where I tap those of you who have trained in Korea in a class completely in Korean.
> 
> Here in America, we're fond of responding "yes sir" to every command of the instructor. Do Korean students respond the same way in Korean, or do they respond another way? I occasionally train with some TSD friends who use a mixture of Korean & Japanese in class. When the instructor gives a command, the students simply say "yes" in Japanese.
> 
> Thanks for your help. Wait a few days, I'm sure I'll have another odd question that I think at 2:00 am.:ultracool


 
I have found in Korea that they will answer either 'Ne' or 'Ne sabumnim/Kwanjangnim' (if Junior to Senior). 

Not to sidetrack the discussion by why Japanese in TSD classes?


----------



## IcemanSK

miguksaram said:


> I have found in Korea that they will answer either 'Ne' or 'Ne sabumnim/Kwanjangnim' (if Junior to Senior).
> 
> *Not to sidetrack the discussion by why Japanese in TSD classes?[/*quote]
> 
> 
> I'm not sure, but I think it was the way they were taught. They interchange Japanese & Korean all the time. Weird huh?


----------



## miguksaram

IcemanSK said:


> miguksaram said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have found in Korea that they will answer either 'Ne' or 'Ne sabumnim/Kwanjangnim' (if Junior to Senior).
> 
> *Not to sidetrack the discussion by why Japanese in TSD classes?[/*quote]
> 
> 
> I'm not sure, but I think it was the way they were taught. They interchange Japanese & Korean all the time. Weird huh?
> 
> 
> 
> Very weird.  Oh well, whatever works for them.
Click to expand...


----------



## jacktnicol

Quote:
AFAIK, you should always add the honorific "-nim", when adressing a higher rank. When travelling with a Korean TKD group, the only moments when they used "sabum" instead of "sabumnim" was adressing a junior, like an 8th Dan speaking to a 5th Dan. The other way around it was always "sabumnim". 


Have to go with gizmo on this. I have been teaching TKD in korea for about 2 years now and we always use nim even parents just call me sabumnim. nim at the end notes respect and is at the end of most titles.

One thing i will add is about the 8th dan talking to the 5th dan. If we know each other well the 8th would just say sabum but if you are just acquaintances or not that familiar with the person they tend to add the nim. But that being said it also depends on the size of their ego. A funny example of the ego is on of my university profs. who doesn't have much of a resume but a university degree and a 8th dan (still very impressive...but keep reading) has a huge ego and always uses sabum which never bothers me. But I'm sure alot of you have heard of lee kyu hyung (if not google him...amazing martial artist and person) is another one of my profs. and is one of the greatest masters in the world if not the best (my opion of course) is the most humble man i have ever met and always adresses me sabumnim

Hope this helps

JT


----------



## IcemanSK

jacktnicol said:


> Quote:
> AFAIK, you should always add the honorific "-nim", when adressing a higher rank. When travelling with a Korean TKD group, the only moments when they used "sabum" instead of "sabumnim" was adressing a junior, like an 8th Dan speaking to a 5th Dan. The other way around it was always "sabumnim".
> 
> 
> Have to go with gizmo on this. I have been teaching TKD in korea for about 2 years now and we always use nim even parents just call me sabumnim. nim at the end notes respect and is at the end of most titles.
> 
> One thing i will add is about the 8th dan talking to the 5th dan. If we know each other well the 8th would just say sabum but if you are just acquaintances or not that familiar with the person they tend to add the nim. But that being said it also depends on the size of their ego. A funny example of the ego is on of my university profs. who doesn't have much of a resume but a university degree and a 8th dan (still very impressive...but keep reading) has a huge ego and always uses sabum which never bothers me. But I'm sure alot of you have heard of lee kyu hyung (if not google him...amazing martial artist and person) is another one of my profs. and is one of the greatest masters in the world if not the best (my opion of course) is the most humble man i have ever met and always adresses me sabumnim
> 
> Hope this helps
> 
> JT


 
It does help, thank you. 

I had the opportunity to meet GM Lee last summer at the Hanmadang here in the States. He was very gracious to me as well. He signed my KKW textbook on the Han soo page. 

I've always understood the nim honorific. But to my original question... So when the instructor leading the class class tells the class to line up, or stand up (or whatever) the class responses "Ne Sabumnim!" Is this the norm in a Korean class, or is it just done quickly in silence?


----------



## TKD_Father

If it's a good friend you can say "Ne Hyung-Nim" as a kind of a joke. It's like responding to someone very old and high in stature, like a King style.

Least that what my wife tells me.

I know my brother-in-law always laughs when I say it to him


----------



## Wey

miguksaram said:


> I have found in Korea that they will answer either 'Ne' or 'Ne sabumnim/Kwanjangnim' (if Junior to Senior).
> 
> Not to sidetrack the discussion by why Japanese in TSD classes?



I have very limited training in a Korean environment / martial art, but I'm assuming it's because of the Japanese occupation. Koreans now use some Japanese words because they were forced to for so long. That's just my guess, though.


----------



## Young Warrior

In My martial arts school we say yes sir & when warming up we have to count in Korean. We also have to tell the instructors what forms we are doing in Korean as well as the techniques.


----------



## Tez3

First names for everyone, we only teach the children TSD and they are taught Japanese and Korean names for everything as well as counting. Our students stay for only a couple of years as their parents will be posted out so we try to make sure the children will be able to fit in whatever style their next martial arts class will be. We aren't afflilated to anyone so have no one above us in grade.


----------



## MBuzzy

You asked for those who had trained in Korea...in my experience, if asked a question, it was just "ne" or "ye" (both meaning yes).  No "sir" or any other term of respect usually.  No need - as JKS said earlier, the respect is intrinsic in the language, the honorifics are included in everything, so there is no need for additional titles.  If one was used, it would be sabumnim if anything.

As for lining up, in the classes that I attended, it was just done silently.  But then in my classes in the US, it was done that way also!


----------



## Tez3

MBuzzy said:


> You asked for those who had trained in Korea...in my experience, if asked a question, it was just "ne" or "ye" (both meaning yes). No "sir" or any other term of respect usually. No need - as JKS said earlier, the respect is intrinsic in the language, the honorifics are included in everything, so there is no need for additional titles. If one was used, it would be sabumnim if anything.
> 
> As for lining up, in the classes that I attended, it was just done silently. But then in my classes in the US, it was done that way also!


 
We line up silently, no tradtion I just like quiet at the beginning of the class, give them a couple of minutes to settle and think about what they are going to do.
We've taught the kids to bow standing and kneeling, I'll show them any other ways people do it too if anyone has anything different?


----------

