By Ines Min
Contributing Writer

How do you order an apple-cinnamon-flavored pretzel ― written in Konglish on the menu board ― in Korean, using a native-English speaker's accent?

The situation may sound comedic, but behind the inevitable verbal faux pas is a more serious issue: English that is written and spoken in Korean.

Konglish, or English words written in Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, is an increasing phenomenon that contributes positively on a cultural level but negatively on a linguistic one for natives and foreigners alike.

"(The overuse of English) actually makes it harder for Koreans learning English," said Brian Deutsch, a former English teacher of four years.

"They are so accustomed to pronouncing these borrowed words the Korean way that they can't adjust to English pronunciations and meanings."

Korean vocabulary can also be lost after a Konglish word is introduced and overtakes the former as the more popular alternative. In some cases, the original Korean or Chinese-derived word is less emphasized, or not even taught to Korean-language students.

Deutsch, an intermediate-level Korean-language student, has seen the impact first hand.

"When studying in class I invariably learn only the English cognate," he said. "In cases where there's a suitable Korean word, it makes me wonder why an English word has come into popular usage."

Eric Kim, a linguist and published language test-prep writer, believes the situation is having an eroding effect on the Korean language.

"Quite a few younger students, especially elementary school students, do not know the native equivalents," said Kim, who is a native Korean.

He is one of the few working hard to retain the use of Korean words.

"I prefer to use traditional Korean terms. This is partly a result of my conscious effort," he said. "I find native Korean vocabulary simple and beautiful. After all, it has been derived from our everyday experiences."

Typically, foreign languages will impress upon native tongues through vocabulary alone, he said, but in the case of English and Korean, grammatical structure has also been affected.

"The Korean language did not (originally) have the present perfect aspect," Kim said. "The recent introduction has resulted from the use of English in Korean." This could later distort the traditional Korean way of constructing meaning, he added.

Others, however, feel that foreigners benefit from the influence of English, because recognizable words help facilitate the learning process.

Edwin Sunder, who holds a Ph.D. in education and currently takes weekly Korean classes, said he is happy to see the use of English words as it helps him remember definitions.

He doesn't feel the use of English is a problem because in India, his native country, a similar occurrence took place, with English becoming the official second language.

Sunder said that there are people who still resist the linguistic changes, struggling to save Hindi in the face of the foreign tongue, but most people use common English words during day-to-day life. "Car" and "telephone" have become widespread, while nearly everyone answers phone calls with "Hello."

"Even the uneducated, the illiterate and children" use English in daily context, Sunder said. "It really helps them communicate with others."

Sunder said he believes that the continued presence of English in Korean culture will help boost morale.

Bruna Maro Liso Gagliardi, a consul at the Brazilian embassy in Seoul and also a Korean-language student, said that the integration of English vocabulary into Korean is a step toward greater multiculturalism and positive adaptation.

"I don't think language threatens other languages; it only enhances," Gagliardi said. "Languages are alive - it's part of our lives and it should change because people change."

Seoul National University professor Robert Fouser said the prevalence of English isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"In principle, language is energized by other languages because the contact makes it rich," said Fouser, who speaks English, Korean and Japanese. "It gives people another way to express themselves."

But the mindless substitution of Korean words with English ones, which have no extended or distinguishable meaning, "can be a bit silly," Fouser added.

"Too much is foolish."

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