On reading an English language daily newspaper published in Korea

By Lyman McLallen

Over half the people who speak English worldwide are native speakers of other languages, yet many of them are as adept with English as the best educated native speakers are. If you consider how they got that way _ studying the language for years while never being sure they would ever learn it _ it’s no surprise (except maybe to them) they have become fluent with English. It’s as if the language belongs to them, which it does because they continue to study, practice and use it.

If you could spend a couple of hours a day with learned scholars discussing current events and important issues in English, you would surely become better with the language than you are now. Also, because of everything you would learn during your discussions with the scholars, you would broaden your mind, live a saner life and come to sensible decisions about what kind of world all of us want for ourselves and our children.

Spending a couple of hours a day with the scholars would, of course, cost more than most of us could afford, not even taking into account the inconvenience of changing our schedules to meet with them. (It would be fun, though, if we could.) But unless you’re rich, it’s out of the question.

You can, however, buy an English language newspaper in Korea six days a week for 1,000 won a copy (less than $1) written and edited chiefly by Koreans and published here too. In it you can read stories and opinion, not in textbook phrases and contrived dialogue, but in real English about current news in Korea and the world.

Most people who read the English language dailies published in Korea don’t necessarily read them so they can make high scores on language proficiency tests, though it would help. Mostly, they read them to keep informed and entertain themselves while they practice English.

As well, they probably read The Straights Times of Singapore, the South China Morning Post published in Hong Kong, and The New York Times. These newspapers among others have digital editions with free or affordable access. (The newspaper you are reading now _ The Korea Times _ has a digital edition with lessons and exercises about English grammar, vocabulary and reading for students of English at all levels of ability.)

If you read the English language daily newspapers for an hour a day, you will read news and opinion in English for 30 hours a month. If you keep this up for a year, do you imagine you will become a more careful reader and enhance your understanding of the language?

Probably you aren’t reading the English language newspapers just to improve your English. Maybe you just enjoy reading these newspapers for part of your day like you are doing now.

Reading only one newspaper, though, even reading it every day, is not enough. To be truly enlightened through English, even for a native speaker, a person must read broadly and deeply about current events, history, science and literature in books, magazines as well as other newspapers.

In truth, many people buy newspapers mainly so they can work the crossword puzzles and read the comics, horoscopes and gossip columns, all of which are fun to read. But if they bought newspapers only to have fun they probably wouldn’t keep buying them for long, and you probably wouldn’t either. If you become interested in a subject through reading about it in an English language newspaper, however, who knows? You might even set yourself on a new course in your life.

That probably won’t happen. But if you continue reading English language daily newspapers, without even realizing it, you will expand your horizon, which could inspire you to consider new ideas while you continue getting better with English, which is reason enough to keep reading.

McLallen attended the University of Memphis State. He taught for many years at Korea University and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and is now a copy editor at The Korea Times.