How much Korean terminology do you use when you teach and why?

[lifespantkd]

How often do you use Korean terminology for techniques, commands, and so on when you teach? Why? Does it vary with who you are teaching (e.g., beginners vs. advanced students, colored belts vs. black belts, children vs. adult) or do you have a consistent approach for all situations? Do you always give commands or say a technique's name in both English and Korean? Do you think using Korean terminology is an integral part of Taekwondo and should always be done? Or do you think requiring students to experience the confusion of hearing a foreign language while learning new physical techniques poses a substantial barrier to their learning of the new techniques?

Thank you!

Cynthia

 

[SahBumNimRush]

I give nearly all commands in Korean. If beginners are present, I give the commands in both English and Korean. While I do not feel it is an integral part of Taekwondo training, it is our school's tradition. Furthermore, all commands given at promotion examinations in front of the Kwan Jang Nim are in Korean, so it's important that the students know the terminology.

 

[Twin Fist]

not men, i dont use any korean.

 

[oftheherd1]

I don't teach anymore. When I did, I used English terminolgy for everything except counting. Reason: That's how my GM did it.

EDIT: Actually, I did use Korean for 'attention,' 'bow,' 'meditate,' and 'recover.' But anyway, never for the moves/techniques.

 

[Earl Weiss]

We use only the most basic Korean terms. Attention, Bow, etc. My first instructor was an American. He was under Han Cha Kyo at the time. We actualy had Flashcards with drawings of a person in the stance and the technique with Korean words phoneticaly spelled in English. We found little need for Korean once we recieved General Choi's 1972 Text (Did not get my hands on the 1965 text until much later) since it was written and indexed in English. To look stuff up, the Korean wwas of no use. He also taught in English.

The only time I missed not knowing a little more Korean was at some International events where Korean was the language of Choice for directing competitors.

 

[rlobrecht]

The school I attend uses Korea for only basic commands, no techniques.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I don't think learning Korean vocabulary is vital to learning the techniques, but I think it does add something, at least for more advanced students. Our school uses only basic Korean (attention, bow, thank you...) as a rule. Some individuals use a little more, such as counting. I tend to use both English and Korean terms.

 

[MAist25]

Yea we use Korean commands and counting but teach the techniques in English. The reason being is this is how we were taught.

 

[ryuu55]

We mostly use English. Every once in a while we'll throughout "basic" Korean commands, that's about it.


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[Manny]

How often do you use Korean terminology for techniques, commands, and so on when you teach? Why? Does it vary with who you are teaching (e.g., beginners vs. advanced students, colored belts vs. black belts, children vs. adult) or do you have a consistent approach for all situations? Do you always give commands or say a technique's name in both English and Korean? Do you think using Korean terminology is an integral part of Taekwondo and should always be done? Or do you think requiring students to experience the confusion of hearing a foreign language while learning new physical techniques poses a substantial barrier to their learning of the new techniques?

Thank you!

Cynthia

I try to use korean comands most of the times, when students don't get it then I use the spanish translation, why I do it? because that's the way I was taught at Jido Kwan and because it's a tradition for me, and yes for me using korean comandas are an importtant part of teaching TKD.

At the judo and karate dojos I've been the sensei give the comands and techs in japanese and if need clarification explain them in spanish so why I should not using korean comands on my class?

Manny

 

[Kong Soo Do]

I use a small amount of Korean terminology, but I'm more apt to use Chinese or Japanese as these were my first arts. Just personal preference and habit really.

 

[Earl Weiss]

At the judo and karate dojos I've been the sensei give the comands and techs in japanese and if need clarification explain them in spanish so why I should not using korean comands on my class?

Manny

Each will do what they like or think they should do. Their is no right or wrong answer. The benefit is that from an International stnapoint Korean may serve as the universal language primarily that because that is what was originaly used and when instructors relocated it was easier than trying to learn and teach in the native language for that country.

The downside for many is that it ads an impediment / addittional element to learning since a foreign name for the technique will not be intuitive and some have more difficulty with languages than others. It also impedes reading books in your native language about the art if you are trying to look something up.

 

[Manny]

Something I want to ad, when I did crostraining in Kenpo karate it was better for me to lear the name of the techs in english, por example "delayed sword" in spanish is defeiende la espada o espada retrasada, why? very simple kenpo was crated by an american (Ed parker) so the names were in that languaje. Delayed sweord with no confution is the same in USA, China or Portugal, if you get me it's a an unifacition thing.

Manny

 

[d1jinx]

Id say about 50/50. Most commands are korean, counting korean, techniques are english (but taught korean terms for familiarity). I always hated it when people taught class who couldnt pronounce the techniques correctly in korean so you couldnt figure out what the hell they were saying.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Hello Cynthia,

I used to teach taekwondo classes for my former kwanjang and tried to use mostly Korean terminology and commands. At the time, I had been teaching kendo with Korean terminology for some time and I also would assist, and eventually teach on my own, hapkido.

I found that the students liked the Korean terminology and it helped them to better appreciate Korean culture. GM Kim was very happy when he heard myself and the students speaking Korean.

One other benefit is that because taekwondo terminology is Korean, it is a universal language that can be spoken between taekwondoin. If I say dollyeo chagi, ap seogi, or arae makki to a taekwondoin who's first language may be Spanish, he or she will know exactly what I am talking about if Korean terminology is used in every dojang.

I don't make any judgement about dojangs that use little or no Korean, but I do feel that it is beneficial for both the students, the dojang, and the whole of taekwondo.

I still teach kendo and I teach geomdo at a Korean school. I use Japanese when I teach kendo and I use Korean terminology when I teach geomdo.

I find that when I use the Korean terminology in geomdo, the students there, who train in hapkido and/or taekwondo the rest of the week, are more comfortable because they already use Korean terminology in the other arts in which they train. So it is both easier for them to follow along and easier for me to communicate with them since I am using terminology that is common to all three arts.

When I teach kendo, I use Japanese. Then any of my students can pick up a kendo book or go to another kendo club and will be able to follow along. Thus the use of Japanese is beneficial to my students and strengthens kendo as an art.

Using the terminology of the land of an art's origin not only provides a common vernacular, but it also gives us a greater appreciation for the mindset of the people who developed the art.

Taekwon!

 

[puunui]

One other benefit is that because taekwondo terminology is Korean, it is a universal language that can be spoken between taekwondoin. If I say dollyeo chagi, ap seogi, or arae makki to a taekwondoin who's first language may be Spanish, he or she will know exactly what I am talking about if Korean terminology is used in every dojang.

You must be a kukki taekwondoin. ITF has korean terminology and although similar, sometimes I don't know what they are saying.

I still teach kendo and I teach geomdo at a Korean school. I use Japanese when I teach kendo and I use Korean terminology when I teach geomdo.

Besides language and terminology, are there any differences technically between kendo and geomdo?

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

You must be a kukki taekwondoin. ITF has korean terminology and although similar, sometimes I don't know what they are saying.

Yes, I am a Kukki taekwondoin. I suspect that ITF taekwondo terminology is similar to TSD terminology, but I couldn't say for sure.

Besides language and terminology, are there any differences technically between kendo and geomdo?

Well, it kind of depends. If they call it 'kumdo' without any prefixes or if they call it 'Daehan kumdo,' then it is just kendo with Korean terminology. Haidong gumdo, Koryo gumdo, and Han kumdo are all entirely different.

When I taught kumdo under GM Kim, we used hyeong that either he created or that he picked up from somewhere else and sparred with the same rules used in the FIK. My direct sensei was Master Choi, taught both GM Kim's hyeong and the Nihon Kendo kata.

The curriculum that I teach in my own studio is straight kendo.

When I teach geomdo, I am teaching a curriculum that I put together specifically for the kwanjang at the school where I teach. I put together eighth hyeong plus one basic form and one ildan form along four sets of partnered hyeong. We do no sparring. My curriculum is very no frills; no spinning/twirling stuff, no XMA style stuff, and no pirouettes.

 

[puunui]

Yes, I am a Kukki taekwondoin. I suspect that ITF taekwondo terminology is similar to TSD terminology, but I couldn't say for sure.

I am not an expert on ITF terminology, so I can't comment. But some of the words are different. tul for example, instead of poomsae or hyung.

Well, it kind of depends. If they call it 'kumdo' without any prefixes or if they call it 'Daehan kumdo,' then it is just kendo with Korean terminology. Haidong gumdo, Koryo gumdo, and Han kumdo are all entirely different.

When I taught kumdo under GM Kim, we used hyeong that either he created or that he picked up from somewhere else and sparred with the same rules used in the FIK. My direct sensei was Master Choi, taught both GM Kim's hyeong and the Nihon Kendo kata. The curriculum that I teach in my own studio is straight kendo. When I teach geomdo, I am teaching a curriculum that I put together specifically for the kwanjang at the school where I teach. I put together eighth hyeong plus one basic form and one ildan form along four sets of partnered hyeong. We do no sparring. My curriculum is very no frills; no spinning/twirling stuff, no XMA style stuff, and no pirouettes.

How do you do kendo without sparring? All the dojo here tend to heavily focus on sparring. I have often thought about taking up kendo. Many kendoka here also study iaido at the same time from their kendo teachers.

 

[Makalakumu]

Up to black belt, I learned and used the terminology as much as I could. Upon training with some Koreans, I discovered that everything I knew was so badly pronounced that it was unintelligible. After going back to my seniors to try and fix this and finding that we all were basically saying it wrong, I stopped using Korean except for the terms that I had actually verified that were part of an actual language.

 

[mastercole]

Besides language and terminology, are there any differences technically between kendo and geomdo?

Once I watch a Kendo regional championships. Japanese and Korean practitioners competed against each other in the event. For some reason I want to say there was some slight difference in the opening bow, or squat. The Korean outfit and head band was very slightly different, I think with Hangul and Hanja. The fighting looked the same to me.

That was that amazing part. I am rarely impressed by any martial art I watch, however, I was blown away by Kendo. It was explosive, extremely quick and accurate, beautiful and brutal all mixed in one. If I had the time, it is the one martial art I would study and likely study for life.

One issue that came up was that if any of these fighters had a live sword in their hands, that could be really bad news. I felt it would be extremely difficult to defend your self without a gun, and even then, you better not make a mistake.

I felt like a part of the spirit, grace, and force of the Samurai might have actually been passed down through high level Kendo.