Professor (English) addressing Korean students

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T.oldfather
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Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:39 pm
Languages: English (N), Korean (beginner)

Professor (English) addressing Korean students

Postby T.oldfather » Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:48 pm

I am an engineering professor in the states and always have a few Korean students in my class. I would like to address them properly. Would I use 씨, something else, or should I just address them by their given name?
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Leurre
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Re: Professor (English) addressing Korean students

Postby Leurre » Sun Jan 24, 2021 4:14 am

Oh man.
You are in the US, you are teaching at the university level (I'm assuming), and you have Korean students (presumably exchange students or foreign students of some sort), right?
Why would you think of addressing them in any other way than that in which you address your other students?
I mean, do you teach in Korean? If not, then why speak to them in Korean to begin with?
My favorite liberal economist Bastiat said (for totally different reasons) "there is that which is seen and that which is not seen". That which is not seen from your post are all the other non-Korean students who maybe come from somewhere else. What about them, are you going to address people from spanish speaking countries in Spanish? This is just too weird.

I'll add that having frequented Korean international student circles when I was in both undergrad and grad school, many students resent implications, however unintended or benign, that they are not just like every other student, that their English might not be up to par, or that they require some sort of special address ("I just want to respect your culture"). You're already in a position of authority as a professor, I'd say don't force students to humor your language learning efforts without having some sort of rapport with them, some kind of "yeah we're cool" relationship.
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lichtrausch
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Re: Professor (English) addressing Korean students

Postby lichtrausch » Sun Jan 24, 2021 6:26 am

I think just pronouncing Korean names accurately would accomplish what you want without running the risk of making students feel singled out.
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T.oldfather
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:39 pm
Languages: English (N), Korean (beginner)

Re: Professor (English) addressing Korean students

Postby T.oldfather » Sun Jan 24, 2021 10:29 am

Thanks! I wasn’t sure what would be most respectful.
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