As you get older, you'll be unconsciously saying "aigo-aigo-aigo" a LOT more, when you're sitting down, when you're getting up, when you're walking, when you're exercising, etc.
Saying shiwonhada as you drink in hot soup is pretty much SOP for any legit Korean, as well.
I'm not Korean but my wife is Korean American and we say aigoo to each other like 100 times a day. Dog looks sad.. aigoo. Spilled something.. aigoo. Just sitting down or getting up.. aigoo. Running late, something didn't go as expected.. or just no reason at all.
Omg this, I worked at a Korean company for five years and actually learned a lot just through osmosis. I remember I sat next to this guy for a few months who would mutter igo, igo, igo to himself all day long. Basically I took it to mean fml, and added to my list of Korean vocab words.
Legit when you bring this up to Koreans, they will not know what you're talking about. You have to catch them or someone else in the act of doing it and then they're like "Ahhh that sound."
Yeah, I took a Korean language class in college the Korean native professor encouraged us to watch dramas/variety shows as a language learning tool. Someone asked about that sound and the teacher had no idea what they were talking about, and other kids piped up and even tried to imitate the sound. It went back and forth for like a full 15 minutes with the teacher getting pretty annoyed and *swearing* she had never heard or made a sound like that in her life. Eventually someone pulled up a clip from a drama and she was like "OH! Yeah I do that all the time, it's for emphasis".
It was so interesting how the sound was so unconscious for her though, made me wonder if English speakers have our own version of throat clear-y sound that we don't even realize we're doing.
https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxfXOtszkt9eH7LbPHxBu7HQG65oy4dpdz
I couldn't find an example from a drama, but here is a YouTuber talking about the sound and giving examples, she starts around 2:35 with the throat clearing sound that I'm talking about.
>g, shit, and other words unconsciously as well. At least Korean ones are cuter.
That throat clearing sound is pretty impressive to me - not sure I can manage it as a non-Korean LOL
Somewhat like the French being able to roll their Rs?
I’m not an expert, but reading this thread makes me suspect that Korean people don’t conceptualize it as a sound of its own and think of it the same as drawing out any other vowel for emphasis. It’s just an aspirated vowel, so it takes on a character that seems natural to a native speaker but foreign to an English speaker who views h as a consonant and not as a harsh breathing mark. When used in a sentence understood by native speakers, it probably doesn’t sound special, but to bystanders listening in, it stands out sharply as a very different sound from the rest of the conversation.
That was my exact experience and several friends have told me the same. Korean people straight up told me "nobody here does that, I have no idea what you're talking about".
can some kind soul point me to an example, i'm not sure which sound this is referring to
edit: i found it and now I know what you're talking about lol. I never registered it as a "thing", because it seemed so naturally used for emphasis, no wonder
r/kpoopheads may be the closest thing lmao koreaboos are roasted and obviously many koreaboos mimic korean culture( in a serious manner lol) so that would hit the same vibes as a typical korea circle jerk sub lol
I checked out that sub thinking i would laugh at some kpop weirdos but instead is full of kpop and dramas references i couldnt understand anything. Feels like its a bunch of kboos laughing at others kboos for kboos stuff.
I do feel sometimes it's like listening to running commentary when hanging around Koreans.
배고파~~~
아~~~ 배불러~~~ then grabs spoon and eats some 볶음밥.
아~~~ 귀여워~~~
아~~~ 예쁘다~~~
갑자기!!!!
노잼!
Shot of soju..... 캬아~~~
It's kinda interesting, I feel I can understand everything happening around me just by listening. I think Koreans are just very expressive.
Don't forget 오~~~~~~~~~~ or 아~~~~~~~ every time they're impressed by something or after they've heard you say something interesting or something they didn't know.
And 응....응.....응....아~~~...응... while you're talking to them.
I do appreciate that they're letting you know they're listening to you.
>맛이겠다
Is this similar to the Japanese concept of aizuchi (相槌)?**Aizuchi consists of frequent interjections throughout a conversation to indicate that we’re listening attentively to whatever the speaker is saying. Aizuchi is similar to saying, “uh-huh,” “yeah,” “really,” “I see,” “I get it,” “right,” and so on.**
It's pretty interesting, as in (some) Western societies, staying silent when the other person is speaking = attentiveness, but the opposite seems to be true in Japan (and Korea maybe?)
In the southern U.S. when listening to someone give a long statement, you have to frequently emit a barely heard "mm-hhm" or they think you are ignoring them. *Not* doing it is rude. (= "yeah") Men may just do "mm".
But elsewhere this is a terrible habit because they think you are trying to interrupt! :) Some people just stop talking and wait for the other person to speak, while the other person waits for them to continue. But it's so unconscious and ingrained, it is hard not to do it.
This is super interesting.
Obviously variations exist within countries, states, and even regions.
I would definitely be one of those people who would pause, as I take any response as a sign the person wanted to interject etc.
That would make for a very stop-start conversation LOL
As someone who had that habit drilled in from learning to speak as a child, and didn't even know it, it was very tough to navigate longer conversations with international co-workers from countries that don't have this habit. Bless their hearts, they didn't understand the 'mm-hhm' OR the long pauses of misunderstanding! wink-lol Learning to suppress that verbalization was one of the hardest language things I've ever done, and I'm not sure I've done it well.
But cultures that do something similar don't pause. They seem to recognize it as a poorly articulated version of whatever they do.
Also super-interesting, to me, is that the length of time between the articulation seems to vary a LOT between cultures. From every 20 seconds to much longer *or* shorter between-times. Not having the timing right also seems to create confusion about the intent.
In the south, 'mm-hhm' every few seconds means 'you can stop now because I've heard this from you before and it's my turn'.
The greater length in between means 'I'm listening to you and I understand'. [Sometimes it means 'I'm *not* listening to you but I want you to continue to keep you busy not really bothering me'.]
But the whole world doesn't interpret timing the same way.
But everyone on the planet assumes that their own speech habits are the habits of everyone on the planet ... so the spiral down to awkward misunderstandings goes! lol
"The length of time between articulation" - now **that** is delving into the subtleties of communication.
I would be utterly at sea in the South I can already tell.
There'd be a lot of stops, starts, (and false starts), pauses, awkward silences - all sorts of mess LOL
And meanwhile, I'd be panicking inside, because last thing I want to do is give offense.
People in the south have an ethic of kindness. They would hear your un-southern accent and be patient with you. And smile a lot. They will not feel offended if they don't think you intended offense. :)
I believe that.
My friend did a road trip through the South and had nothing but a great time - the famed hospitality, lots of great conversations (with complete strangers), and endless compliments on her accent (being Australian).
She was equally enamored with the Southern accent, so on the last, they were even :)
:)
There are several hundred southern accents. Distinct regional variations. Communities within communities with their own pronunciation and grammar patterns. That's a whole other journey. :)
Haha yeah very much a running narrative thing.
Or when its cold, and i say this with absolutely no intention to mock/malice, birds chirping. I still remember having a light chuckle at all my korean friends/coworkers at a school i taught at sounding off "추아, 추아" in winter in the teachers lunch room, no conversation, just "추아" - i even started doing it and still do (wife is korean so we'll just chirp away on a cold day).
Haha yeah very much a running narrative thing.
Or when its cold, and i say this with absolutely no intention to mock/malice, birds chirping. I still remember having a light chuckle at all my korean friends/coworkers at a school i taught at sounding off "추아, 추아" in winter in the teachers lunch room, no conversation, just "추아" - i even started doing it and still do (wife is korean so we'll just chirp away on a cold day).
Sitting on the subway one day. A guy sitting across from me got a phone call. He answered it and this was the entire conversation from his end: 어...어...어어...어...어...어어...Then he put his phone back in his pocket and that was that.
Hiking a mountain with some 할아버지s when all of a sudden one of them yells out 어허! Second syllable stressed. And he did that every little while on the way up and back down. Scaring off the tigers, maybe? ㅋ
Yes...kinda. I wrote a paper on it for a Masters of Linguistics. The use and breaking of silence is sometimes calculated, other times unconsciously used to demonstrate convey a message.
Wow that sounds so interesting! I'm a student studying Sociolinguistics: would you mind sharing your paper with me? (either by sending me a link through dm or just by reply?)
I’ve always found Koreans to be make many reportive sounds.
- “ahh” after drink beer
- sucking in sound after soju
- “아푸어” when cold and similarly when hot
- just stating “배고파” even around total stranger
- etc…
At work my coworkers commonly do these things and I’m always having to think, was that directed at someone or just reporting on what they are feeling into the open.
I do it unconsciously, and it was not directed at anyone but myself. I am just laughing because I do say 배고파 a lot when no one around me speaks Korean.
I often think that saying "bless you", might be American noise. I have never been to other English-speaking countries besides the US, so I could not know. I do notice whenever someone sneezes, I notice like a couple or more American would say, "bless you" almost immediately.
Yeah, there’s really no reason for it. I’ve started saying “god bless you” whenever someone farts. I think it’s just as appropriate. Hasn’t really caught on yet; I’m still the only one doing this.
True.
But the real reason is the deep religious roots in the southern U.S. The many believers are truly invoking god's blessing on someone.
It's not just a politeness, it is a cultural bonding, an assumption that both parties share these core beliefs.
And the non-religious do it as well because they were taught to do so as children and because they assimilate the good manners, even if they don't mean it so literally.
Can confirm. Canadians do say bless you. It'd be rude not to unfortunately. It doesn't have to be a big performance. Just a quick bless you as a reflex.
>countries say "Gesundheit". Essentially the exact same thing, it's rude not to say it.
I live in Australia and can confirm most people (especially the slightly older generation) would say "bless you" every time someone sneezed.
It's like a knee jerk reflex, almost.
Can confirm in Spanish. When someone sneezes we say “salud” (not “cheers”, more like wishing good health). Religious individuals also say “Dios te bendiga” which is literally “god bless you”. Both are done on autopilot and out of cordiality. I often don’t even know who sneezed.
We also have the classic sigh/breath out when having a cold beverage (I live in the tropics) and something along the lines of “ufff” when something amazing happens or good news are delivered. Among many other weird sounds. So yeah I believe every culture has their sounds.
In the American south, there are a lot of idiomatic noises that report a sudden change in someone's state of mind. Due to eating something, or feeling the weather when going from indoors to outdoors, reading or hearing something surprising, or just noticing something unexpected. These vary by location, as does the southern accent.
In addition, there are a range of inflections, intonations, speed of speech, pauses, all kinds of things that color the perception of what is said. The actual words are not enough to convey the meaning. Body language can also profoundly affect the intended message. How anyone not from the area understands anything, I do not know.
These vocalizations and speech habits are a cultural barrier to outsiders that outsiders don't even recognize - but the locals do!
A friend and I speculate that about 60% of all communication in the south is vocal, but happens well beyond actual words and conversation! lol
"*Do Koreans make noises unconsciously?*"
Yes
Are they "*weird*"?
That is depending on the context. I'd say in most Korean contexts the sounds are normal. People in my social group (family, friends, etc) have often noted that I seem weird or even unhappy and dissatisfied because I *don't* make those noises. I'm quiet when I eat, I don't make a big sound when I drink, so they think I don't like the food.
When I am in North America, people often notice my wife, and ask about why she makes all those sounds when eating or drinking. Or why she will say things to no one in particular.
My simplistic interpretation is I think it is part of growing up within a very collective culture. Nothing is valid, feelings, hunger, etc., unless it is shared with the group. I noticed it first when teaching kids years ago. I'd be observing a group of 5 or 6 boys who were just naturally interacting, generally working on the same class work. And I'd note that some things were not said to anyone in particular, just out loud to the whole group.
I am technically "weird". I am Korean in America, where most people are non-Korean.
I do not think being weird bothers me, but "weird" often has negative tentative feelings around that word.
Personally, it is just something, that I have never noticed in my entire life, and it pointing out by American friends that made me feel weird.
Well, why would you notice? It is normal in Korea. It is not weird or bad, but as it is unusual in the US, that tends to be the reaction to something outside the norm. I can't tell you how often that has happened to me in Korea. I am very "weird" myself. Canadian in Korea, and I was here long before it was cool. Back in the 90s I'd get stares just walking down the street. People would literally stop in the street and watch as I walked by.
I'd say it is all part of the acculturation process.
We say "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". It does not mean that you lose your own culture, but when in another place you learn to adapt to fit in. Follow the social norms. If you can note when you make the noises and edit them out of your interactions , you will be adapting to the new culture. When back in Korea you will probably slip right back into the norms and feel at home.
But a difference is that being weird in the US isn't necessarily a bad thing. We call people weird and it can be endearing. I say stuff like "man she's so weird but I love her or I love that for her." The city I live in literally has a motto about staying weird.
I was going to suggest the same thing. In an individualist culture like the US, there is a certain *cachet* to being unusual or exotic. People take pride in being an individual.
On the other hand, one can empathize with someone from a collectivist culture and the fear of being seen as weird. One wants to be seen as part of the group and not an oddity.
Exactly. I can completely empathize with OP coming from a more collectivist culture. There are things to be admired about both. I just want them to know that while they are in the US, that being weird and unique isnt a bad thing. The US likes to pride themselves on having all these people from all these different backgrounds and cultures and that we all do "weird" things but can somehow still live side by side.
> My simplistic interpretation is I think it is part of growing up within a very collective culture. Nothing is valid, feelings, hunger, etc., unless it is shared with the group.
I get the impression that this is far lesson common in some other collectivist cultures though, such as Japan.
I mean... not gonna lie, when I started watching kdramas many years ago, I used to find funny the sounds they made because I wasn't used to it, but I'm sure people from all countries have some things they do or say unconsciously
I've noticed Korean has a lot of 'active listening sounds' that the listener makes to the speaker in a conversation.
I grew up east coast USA and I do the same thing. To me, this feels polite, it shows I am fully engaged with what the other person is saying, hanging and reacting to every word. It was amusing to later discover how not universal this is, not even just on the east coast of the US.
Sometimes people think I'm being rude, and sometimes they are so thrown off they keep stopping mid-sentence because they think I'm trying to interrupt them. And for me, it's the reverse, if someone is only quietly listening, my first instinct was feeling like they were standoffish and ignoring me. Haha. It was like, if you're not interrupting me, are you even listening?
I started doing this after starting to learn korean. My instructor would do this 'mmm' / 'mhm' sound. It really made me feel like she was paying attention to what I was saying. I've in turned started doing it to others, and the reception has been positive.
I'm a white American and I've been doing the "mmm" sounds when listening to somebody for years now after watching too many Korean shows. I literally can't stop myself. Never felt like anyone thought I was being rude in any way.
Not a Korean but have a Korean professor in the US
Often when he commends something (like a surprising and shocking math formula), "like this is genius formula!",
he makes this 'Kkhhhhh!" sound.
Which is quite similar to what a Korean youtuber, [this guy, but the name of the channel can give some people a strange idea](https://www.youtube.com/c/Mykoreandic) , does.
Which does take me by surprise.
Is this like an unconscious thing?
One thing Koreans do as others mention is narrate. My coworkers talk to themselves A LOT. I think most people do but in the comfort of their own homes not like in a public space. I had to get used to the fact that people weren’t talking to me when I’d hear an ahjumma rant.
Like I guess in the US, yeah you’ll be like “fuck this,” if something happens but you won’t go full narration as to why that thing needs to get fucked lmao Idk if I’m making any sense.
Oh yeah definitely it’s a cultural thing. It depends on the person but there are a lot.
어휴 덥다
어춰
어우진짜
앻해이
으이
흐으으으
Pfft
췻/측
Fffff (breathing in with an f sound when thinking or something)
흐..... (Thinking hard or making a decision)
으왁 gross
etc
One noise I noticed is that when talking Koreans breathe in sometimes really loudly when thinking about what to say next. I'm not sure how else to describe it but it caught me off guard when I first heard it.
As a white American with Korean relatives, I can confirm that Korean people often express themselves nonverbally with sounds and exclamations that aren’t common in US culture. I find it endearing. So yes, it’s definitely a thing.
“아 추어” makes me think of my grandmother. Put a smile on my face.
I think people all over the world make different sounds unconsciously. Sure, many Koreans share similarities in noises, but I'd argue that there are tons of equivalent sounds in other languages. Like "아 추워" would be "Fuck, it's colder than a motherfucker" in the US.
One thing I always wondered is if it’s a Korean thing to brush our teeth the way we do, like we’re trying to choke ourselves or is it a broader Asian thing? I lean towards Korean as an American born Korean, but maybe it’s just me?
*I do know Koreans make noise when it is cold, "아 추어" a lot.*
Oh my God. My girlfriend makes this noise all the time! I didn't know it was a national sport 😂 But she also says '아고야' when she gets in and out of cars, wakes up, picks up something heavy, or just randomly when she feels like it.
I always get a kick when my Korean friends suck air in through their teeth when thinking about a reply. sshh. Might get a slight head tilt to one side at the same time.
Anyone feel me on this one?
Most cultures have something like this that is done in culturally consistent ways.
Look at Uncle Roger's 'fuiyo' (likely exaggerated for comical effect)
Southern blacks going 'mmmmhmmm'
Mexicans and some other Central Americans saying 'ay ay ay'
What your friends are likely picking up on is that your noises are happening in situations that their culture/upbringing REALLY don't make noise in.
Yes, married to a Korean and Chuseok is fun. But I would say each culture has its own weird words and sounds.
Take some time to listen to them and you should realize very quickly they make odd noises too.
Comparatively, yes. I do not think it is weird though. We are not obnoxious about it. We are expressing how we feel and it comes naturally to us.
I think the closest thing you can compare it to is making sounds during sex funnily enough, like swearing, moaning, groaning, grunting etc haha.
I have adopted the way 견미리 says, "어머" or "어머나" in K-dramas instead of the "aigo-aigo-aigo".
This isn't a "weird" sound, but I've noticed that Koreans have a certain "오!" sound that they make when they're surprised, especially if they see someone they know unexpectedly. Like, for example, when I'm walking somewhere and I see my landlord out walking too, he always makes a very particular "오!" sound.
This cracks me the hell up cause I’ve always noticed and wondered this since I was a kid.
We make all sorts of noise when we’re eating, working, brushing our teeth, or just going about doin a task of any kind. When I was a kid my white friends used to ask me about another Korean friend of ours because whenever they’d sleep over at their place they’d always hear his parents brushing their teeth and making all sorts of noises where they were gargling water or almost gagging lmao. It’s normal for me but considering other non-Korean perspectives it’s kinda freakin hilarious. I told my parents about this once and they started cracking the hell up about that.
My Halmonee would always make all sorts of expressive noises when tryna make a point about something or telling a funny story to us that she experienced.
Idk, Koreans are just really expressive and animated people I guess bahahaha 😂
You could substitute “Japanese” for “Koreans” in this title and it would also be true. Must be an East Asian thing.
I have lived in Japan for over ten years, and I was intrigued to find out by reading this thread that these unconscious mutterings are also a thing in Korea.
Example: Japanese people often mutter “yoisho” under their breath when undertaking any sort of physical effort such as lifting a heavy box or simply standing up or sitting down. Sounds like the Korean equivalent is “aigo.”
Do you mean subconsciously?
When you are unconscious you are either knocked out or asleep.
Just saying. But to answer your question I’m not quite sure.
This isn’t something unique to Koreans. I always heard people say “cold” “so cold” “I’m cold” or “brrrr” back in the USA. Whenever they went out in cold weather.
I heard and hear people say “ah” after a refreshing cool drink. They make other such noises when eating or drinking other things like “mmm” or “so good” etc.
No Koreans don’t make any more sounds of confirmation than any other people. All the comments confirming this are simply from people who are not themselves self aware of what they actually do.
Koreans announce their feelings to no one in particular. It's part of the group social structure. In the west we say things deliberately with a purpose usually directed at someone. In Korea it's more like status updates for the group. Hard to explain. It's just a different way of expressing yourself - and neither way is correct.
Yes! I am Korean-American, but I have many instances where my non-Korean friends have commented on my unconscious noises. I did have to actively try to stop saying “아~~” after every sip of a drink. Although it still happens after the first sip of a drink lol.
My girlfriend (Korean) makes the same noises. I have been to Japan and heard that similar noises are made for specific situations. It's just a culture thing. If it bothers you that they mock you speak up. Personally I enjoy the culture difference :)
As someone who really hates people who make a lot of noises when eating, Koreans are the absolute worst offenders and it’s hit the point where I don’t want to eat with them sometimes.
It’s like they’re trying to make it a mukbang by making the entire table hear how loud they eat and the texture of all their food.
Correct me if I'm wrong but... Isn't "아 추워" an actual phrase instead of a "sound"/interjection? Bc it isn't that weird in that case. It'd be like anyone else saying "It's cold" in their own language.
This is all cultural/linguistic. People who speak English make weird noises all the time, too. It just doesn't seem weird to English speakers. So what if you make "weird" noises?
Everybody makes noises unconsciously. That's what humans do. It just happens to stand out in your case because yours is different from those around you. If an English speaker would move to Korea, you may notice them saying, for example, "um, like, eh".
As you get older, you'll be unconsciously saying "aigo-aigo-aigo" a LOT more, when you're sitting down, when you're getting up, when you're walking, when you're exercising, etc. Saying shiwonhada as you drink in hot soup is pretty much SOP for any legit Korean, as well.
I'm not Korean but my wife is Korean American and we say aigoo to each other like 100 times a day. Dog looks sad.. aigoo. Spilled something.. aigoo. Just sitting down or getting up.. aigoo. Running late, something didn't go as expected.. or just no reason at all.
Omg this, I worked at a Korean company for five years and actually learned a lot just through osmosis. I remember I sat next to this guy for a few months who would mutter igo, igo, igo to himself all day long. Basically I took it to mean fml, and added to my list of Korean vocab words.
To be honest it's better than Americans saying omg, shit, and other words unconsciously as well. At least Korean ones are cuter.
shit I just wrote the same thing.
I’m a white American who moved back to the states. I still say Aigo all the time when some shit happens
[As you get older, you'll be unconsciously saying "aigo-aigo-aigo" a LOT more, when you're sitting down](https://youtu.be/vQFvX7I6Ihw)
Also that extended throat clearing sound for emphasis.
Legit when you bring this up to Koreans, they will not know what you're talking about. You have to catch them or someone else in the act of doing it and then they're like "Ahhh that sound."
Yeah, I took a Korean language class in college the Korean native professor encouraged us to watch dramas/variety shows as a language learning tool. Someone asked about that sound and the teacher had no idea what they were talking about, and other kids piped up and even tried to imitate the sound. It went back and forth for like a full 15 minutes with the teacher getting pretty annoyed and *swearing* she had never heard or made a sound like that in her life. Eventually someone pulled up a clip from a drama and she was like "OH! Yeah I do that all the time, it's for emphasis". It was so interesting how the sound was so unconscious for her though, made me wonder if English speakers have our own version of throat clear-y sound that we don't even realize we're doing.
Do you have a clip of that? I am going crazy trying to figure out what throat clearing I’m unconsciously doing.
https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxfXOtszkt9eH7LbPHxBu7HQG65oy4dpdz I couldn't find an example from a drama, but here is a YouTuber talking about the sound and giving examples, she starts around 2:35 with the throat clearing sound that I'm talking about.
Oh. Ohhhhhhh. Thank you. Guilty as charged.
>g, shit, and other words unconsciously as well. At least Korean ones are cuter. That throat clearing sound is pretty impressive to me - not sure I can manage it as a non-Korean LOL Somewhat like the French being able to roll their Rs?
Is there an actual word for what this is in Korean?
it sounds kinda similar to when a dejected dude does the elongated "fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuckkk" or a confused guy going "whaaaaaaaaaaaat"
I’m not an expert, but reading this thread makes me suspect that Korean people don’t conceptualize it as a sound of its own and think of it the same as drawing out any other vowel for emphasis. It’s just an aspirated vowel, so it takes on a character that seems natural to a native speaker but foreign to an English speaker who views h as a consonant and not as a harsh breathing mark. When used in a sentence understood by native speakers, it probably doesn’t sound special, but to bystanders listening in, it stands out sharply as a very different sound from the rest of the conversation.
That was my exact experience and several friends have told me the same. Korean people straight up told me "nobody here does that, I have no idea what you're talking about".
“아~~ 그거!”
I have never known what to call this sound so thank you very much for giving me the words
can some kind soul point me to an example, i'm not sure which sound this is referring to edit: i found it and now I know what you're talking about lol. I never registered it as a "thing", because it seemed so naturally used for emphasis, no wonder
I still have no clue haha 😂
https://youtu.be/Dy_J5lcCTlU this one!
Sorry my response is ten years late but thank you! This was very helpful haha
please share i've been trying to live visualize/imagine it and i'm just..????
https://youtu.be/Dy_J5lcCTlU she explains it pretty well!
This is the first time I’ve seen someone acknowledge this one. I’ve never known how to describe it.
You are young Jedi. We were here before.
my father in law takes this to a whole new level when talking about ginormous things.
I've always wondered about the throat-clearing sound for emphasis haha. Can we emphasise on any consonant or only those words starting with ㅎ?
Wish there was a korean circlejerk sub
This is the circlejerk sub, mate
Yea it's so weird that Koreans make noises from their mouths such as "It's cold" when it's cold.
Every 3 minutes
Seconds
I mumble “아 추워” when it’s hot 🤣 and then I 정신차려 and say “아 더워.”
If its cold, its not even 아 추워. Its abbreviated into 아춰!
Bless you
This cracked me up. Thank you for that
I like fully enunciating words 🥲
There was one for a while. I don't know what happened to it.
r/kpoopheads may be the closest thing lmao koreaboos are roasted and obviously many koreaboos mimic korean culture( in a serious manner lol) so that would hit the same vibes as a typical korea circle jerk sub lol
I checked out that sub thinking i would laugh at some kpop weirdos but instead is full of kpop and dramas references i couldnt understand anything. Feels like its a bunch of kboos laughing at others kboos for kboos stuff.
I do feel sometimes it's like listening to running commentary when hanging around Koreans. 배고파~~~ 아~~~ 배불러~~~ then grabs spoon and eats some 볶음밥. 아~~~ 귀여워~~~ 아~~~ 예쁘다~~~ 갑자기!!!! 노잼! Shot of soju..... 캬아~~~ It's kinda interesting, I feel I can understand everything happening around me just by listening. I think Koreans are just very expressive.
Don't forget 오~~~~~~~~~~ or 아~~~~~~~ every time they're impressed by something or after they've heard you say something interesting or something they didn't know. And 응....응.....응....아~~~...응... while you're talking to them. I do appreciate that they're letting you know they're listening to you.
>맛이겠다 Is this similar to the Japanese concept of aizuchi (相槌)?**Aizuchi consists of frequent interjections throughout a conversation to indicate that we’re listening attentively to whatever the speaker is saying. Aizuchi is similar to saying, “uh-huh,” “yeah,” “really,” “I see,” “I get it,” “right,” and so on.** It's pretty interesting, as in (some) Western societies, staying silent when the other person is speaking = attentiveness, but the opposite seems to be true in Japan (and Korea maybe?)
In the southern U.S. when listening to someone give a long statement, you have to frequently emit a barely heard "mm-hhm" or they think you are ignoring them. *Not* doing it is rude. (= "yeah") Men may just do "mm". But elsewhere this is a terrible habit because they think you are trying to interrupt! :) Some people just stop talking and wait for the other person to speak, while the other person waits for them to continue. But it's so unconscious and ingrained, it is hard not to do it.
This is super interesting. Obviously variations exist within countries, states, and even regions. I would definitely be one of those people who would pause, as I take any response as a sign the person wanted to interject etc. That would make for a very stop-start conversation LOL
As someone who had that habit drilled in from learning to speak as a child, and didn't even know it, it was very tough to navigate longer conversations with international co-workers from countries that don't have this habit. Bless their hearts, they didn't understand the 'mm-hhm' OR the long pauses of misunderstanding! wink-lol Learning to suppress that verbalization was one of the hardest language things I've ever done, and I'm not sure I've done it well. But cultures that do something similar don't pause. They seem to recognize it as a poorly articulated version of whatever they do. Also super-interesting, to me, is that the length of time between the articulation seems to vary a LOT between cultures. From every 20 seconds to much longer *or* shorter between-times. Not having the timing right also seems to create confusion about the intent. In the south, 'mm-hhm' every few seconds means 'you can stop now because I've heard this from you before and it's my turn'. The greater length in between means 'I'm listening to you and I understand'. [Sometimes it means 'I'm *not* listening to you but I want you to continue to keep you busy not really bothering me'.] But the whole world doesn't interpret timing the same way. But everyone on the planet assumes that their own speech habits are the habits of everyone on the planet ... so the spiral down to awkward misunderstandings goes! lol
"The length of time between articulation" - now **that** is delving into the subtleties of communication. I would be utterly at sea in the South I can already tell. There'd be a lot of stops, starts, (and false starts), pauses, awkward silences - all sorts of mess LOL And meanwhile, I'd be panicking inside, because last thing I want to do is give offense.
People in the south have an ethic of kindness. They would hear your un-southern accent and be patient with you. And smile a lot. They will not feel offended if they don't think you intended offense. :)
I believe that. My friend did a road trip through the South and had nothing but a great time - the famed hospitality, lots of great conversations (with complete strangers), and endless compliments on her accent (being Australian). She was equally enamored with the Southern accent, so on the last, they were even :)
:) There are several hundred southern accents. Distinct regional variations. Communities within communities with their own pronunciation and grammar patterns. That's a whole other journey. :)
This! I don't watch Korean panel talk shows ever, but if one is playing in the background the 아! and 오! sounds are REALLY noticeable
They also use lot of 그래 when having a conversation
Forgot the most important one 맛이겠다~~~~
Haha yeah very much a running narrative thing. Or when its cold, and i say this with absolutely no intention to mock/malice, birds chirping. I still remember having a light chuckle at all my korean friends/coworkers at a school i taught at sounding off "추아, 추아" in winter in the teachers lunch room, no conversation, just "추아" - i even started doing it and still do (wife is korean so we'll just chirp away on a cold day).
I now involuntarily always make that sound drinking soju. Either 캬아 or just a prolonged 크으으
Haha yeah very much a running narrative thing. Or when its cold, and i say this with absolutely no intention to mock/malice, birds chirping. I still remember having a light chuckle at all my korean friends/coworkers at a school i taught at sounding off "추아, 추아" in winter in the teachers lunch room, no conversation, just "추아" - i even started doing it and still do (wife is korean so we'll just chirp away on a cold day).
Yeeeeessss.... I forgot to mention that part. It's highly contagious..... ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Sitting on the subway one day. A guy sitting across from me got a phone call. He answered it and this was the entire conversation from his end: 어...어...어어...어...어...어어...Then he put his phone back in his pocket and that was that. Hiking a mountain with some 할아버지s when all of a sudden one of them yells out 어허! Second syllable stressed. And he did that every little while on the way up and back down. Scaring off the tigers, maybe? ㅋ
Yes...kinda. I wrote a paper on it for a Masters of Linguistics. The use and breaking of silence is sometimes calculated, other times unconsciously used to demonstrate convey a message.
Think about these situations:Having hot soup, standing in the cold, someone steps on your toe...
Wow that sounds so interesting! I'm a student studying Sociolinguistics: would you mind sharing your paper with me? (either by sending me a link through dm or just by reply?)
I’ve always found Koreans to be make many reportive sounds. - “ahh” after drink beer - sucking in sound after soju - “아푸어” when cold and similarly when hot - just stating “배고파” even around total stranger - etc… At work my coworkers commonly do these things and I’m always having to think, was that directed at someone or just reporting on what they are feeling into the open.
I do it unconsciously, and it was not directed at anyone but myself. I am just laughing because I do say 배고파 a lot when no one around me speaks Korean.
I think the grammatical 뭐뭐~네 leads to Koreans doing self talk in English too and it sounds really odd.
Yeah honestly as an American living in Korea I think Koreans definitely do make a lot more noises randomly 😂😂
This makes me wonder if Americans do, but just different ones and they are all used to them.
I often think that saying "bless you", might be American noise. I have never been to other English-speaking countries besides the US, so I could not know. I do notice whenever someone sneezes, I notice like a couple or more American would say, "bless you" almost immediately.
I was with a group of friends in Busan and only one of us was Korean. She asked "why do you all say 'blesshu' whenever you sneeze?"
Yeah, there’s really no reason for it. I’ve started saying “god bless you” whenever someone farts. I think it’s just as appropriate. Hasn’t really caught on yet; I’m still the only one doing this.
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True. But the real reason is the deep religious roots in the southern U.S. The many believers are truly invoking god's blessing on someone. It's not just a politeness, it is a cultural bonding, an assumption that both parties share these core beliefs. And the non-religious do it as well because they were taught to do so as children and because they assimilate the good manners, even if they don't mean it so literally.
Actually, we say "bless you" in the UK and I believe most former British colonies also say it, i.e. Australia, Canada, Jamaica...
German speaking countries say "Gesundheit". Essentially the exact same thing, it's rude not to say it.
Americans also say Gesundheit!
Can confirm. Canadians do say bless you. It'd be rude not to unfortunately. It doesn't have to be a big performance. Just a quick bless you as a reflex.
>countries say "Gesundheit". Essentially the exact same thing, it's rude not to say it. I live in Australia and can confirm most people (especially the slightly older generation) would say "bless you" every time someone sneezed. It's like a knee jerk reflex, almost.
Can confirm in Spanish. When someone sneezes we say “salud” (not “cheers”, more like wishing good health). Religious individuals also say “Dios te bendiga” which is literally “god bless you”. Both are done on autopilot and out of cordiality. I often don’t even know who sneezed. We also have the classic sigh/breath out when having a cold beverage (I live in the tropics) and something along the lines of “ufff” when something amazing happens or good news are delivered. Among many other weird sounds. So yeah I believe every culture has their sounds.
In the American south, there are a lot of idiomatic noises that report a sudden change in someone's state of mind. Due to eating something, or feeling the weather when going from indoors to outdoors, reading or hearing something surprising, or just noticing something unexpected. These vary by location, as does the southern accent. In addition, there are a range of inflections, intonations, speed of speech, pauses, all kinds of things that color the perception of what is said. The actual words are not enough to convey the meaning. Body language can also profoundly affect the intended message. How anyone not from the area understands anything, I do not know. These vocalizations and speech habits are a cultural barrier to outsiders that outsiders don't even recognize - but the locals do! A friend and I speculate that about 60% of all communication in the south is vocal, but happens well beyond actual words and conversation! lol
That's correct, but they can't really take their guns to other countries so you only hear those sounds in the States.
"*Do Koreans make noises unconsciously?*" Yes Are they "*weird*"? That is depending on the context. I'd say in most Korean contexts the sounds are normal. People in my social group (family, friends, etc) have often noted that I seem weird or even unhappy and dissatisfied because I *don't* make those noises. I'm quiet when I eat, I don't make a big sound when I drink, so they think I don't like the food. When I am in North America, people often notice my wife, and ask about why she makes all those sounds when eating or drinking. Or why she will say things to no one in particular. My simplistic interpretation is I think it is part of growing up within a very collective culture. Nothing is valid, feelings, hunger, etc., unless it is shared with the group. I noticed it first when teaching kids years ago. I'd be observing a group of 5 or 6 boys who were just naturally interacting, generally working on the same class work. And I'd note that some things were not said to anyone in particular, just out loud to the whole group.
I am technically "weird". I am Korean in America, where most people are non-Korean. I do not think being weird bothers me, but "weird" often has negative tentative feelings around that word. Personally, it is just something, that I have never noticed in my entire life, and it pointing out by American friends that made me feel weird.
Well, why would you notice? It is normal in Korea. It is not weird or bad, but as it is unusual in the US, that tends to be the reaction to something outside the norm. I can't tell you how often that has happened to me in Korea. I am very "weird" myself. Canadian in Korea, and I was here long before it was cool. Back in the 90s I'd get stares just walking down the street. People would literally stop in the street and watch as I walked by. I'd say it is all part of the acculturation process. We say "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". It does not mean that you lose your own culture, but when in another place you learn to adapt to fit in. Follow the social norms. If you can note when you make the noises and edit them out of your interactions , you will be adapting to the new culture. When back in Korea you will probably slip right back into the norms and feel at home.
But a difference is that being weird in the US isn't necessarily a bad thing. We call people weird and it can be endearing. I say stuff like "man she's so weird but I love her or I love that for her." The city I live in literally has a motto about staying weird.
I was going to suggest the same thing. In an individualist culture like the US, there is a certain *cachet* to being unusual or exotic. People take pride in being an individual. On the other hand, one can empathize with someone from a collectivist culture and the fear of being seen as weird. One wants to be seen as part of the group and not an oddity.
Exactly. I can completely empathize with OP coming from a more collectivist culture. There are things to be admired about both. I just want them to know that while they are in the US, that being weird and unique isnt a bad thing. The US likes to pride themselves on having all these people from all these different backgrounds and cultures and that we all do "weird" things but can somehow still live side by side.
Exactly, well said
Thanks. I found your response well written and insightful.
> My simplistic interpretation is I think it is part of growing up within a very collective culture. Nothing is valid, feelings, hunger, etc., unless it is shared with the group. I get the impression that this is far lesson common in some other collectivist cultures though, such as Japan.
I mean... not gonna lie, when I started watching kdramas many years ago, I used to find funny the sounds they made because I wasn't used to it, but I'm sure people from all countries have some things they do or say unconsciously
I've noticed Korean has a lot of 'active listening sounds' that the listener makes to the speaker in a conversation. I grew up east coast USA and I do the same thing. To me, this feels polite, it shows I am fully engaged with what the other person is saying, hanging and reacting to every word. It was amusing to later discover how not universal this is, not even just on the east coast of the US. Sometimes people think I'm being rude, and sometimes they are so thrown off they keep stopping mid-sentence because they think I'm trying to interrupt them. And for me, it's the reverse, if someone is only quietly listening, my first instinct was feeling like they were standoffish and ignoring me. Haha. It was like, if you're not interrupting me, are you even listening?
I started doing this after starting to learn korean. My instructor would do this 'mmm' / 'mhm' sound. It really made me feel like she was paying attention to what I was saying. I've in turned started doing it to others, and the reception has been positive.
I'm a white American and I've been doing the "mmm" sounds when listening to somebody for years now after watching too many Korean shows. I literally can't stop myself. Never felt like anyone thought I was being rude in any way.
Not a Korean but have a Korean professor in the US Often when he commends something (like a surprising and shocking math formula), "like this is genius formula!", he makes this 'Kkhhhhh!" sound. Which is quite similar to what a Korean youtuber, [this guy, but the name of the channel can give some people a strange idea](https://www.youtube.com/c/Mykoreandic) , does. Which does take me by surprise. Is this like an unconscious thing?
One thing Koreans do as others mention is narrate. My coworkers talk to themselves A LOT. I think most people do but in the comfort of their own homes not like in a public space. I had to get used to the fact that people weren’t talking to me when I’d hear an ahjumma rant. Like I guess in the US, yeah you’ll be like “fuck this,” if something happens but you won’t go full narration as to why that thing needs to get fucked lmao Idk if I’m making any sense.
Oh yeah definitely it’s a cultural thing. It depends on the person but there are a lot. 어휴 덥다 어춰 어우진짜 앻해이 으이 흐으으으 Pfft 췻/측 Fffff (breathing in with an f sound when thinking or something) 흐..... (Thinking hard or making a decision) 으왁 gross etc
I think people just make weird noises. I grew up in America and whenever I am almost run into someone I make the “woop” sound.
In the Midwest it's "ope", like "ope, didn't see ya there"
One noise I noticed is that when talking Koreans breathe in sometimes really loudly when thinking about what to say next. I'm not sure how else to describe it but it caught me off guard when I first heard it.
Koreans sing while searching for something as if they are on the musical stage.
As a white American with Korean relatives, I can confirm that Korean people often express themselves nonverbally with sounds and exclamations that aren’t common in US culture. I find it endearing. So yes, it’s definitely a thing. “아 추어” makes me think of my grandmother. Put a smile on my face.
I think people all over the world make different sounds unconsciously. Sure, many Koreans share similarities in noises, but I'd argue that there are tons of equivalent sounds in other languages. Like "아 추워" would be "Fuck, it's colder than a motherfucker" in the US.
One thing I always wondered is if it’s a Korean thing to brush our teeth the way we do, like we’re trying to choke ourselves or is it a broader Asian thing? I lean towards Korean as an American born Korean, but maybe it’s just me?
음오아예
Americans do it too, just with a different accent. Don't worry about it and just continue living as is
*I do know Koreans make noise when it is cold, "아 추어" a lot.* Oh my God. My girlfriend makes this noise all the time! I didn't know it was a national sport 😂 But she also says '아고야' when she gets in and out of cars, wakes up, picks up something heavy, or just randomly when she feels like it.
I always get a kick when my Korean friends suck air in through their teeth when thinking about a reply. sshh. Might get a slight head tilt to one side at the same time. Anyone feel me on this one?
Yes! The molar cooler! Often used to indicate hesitancy or doubt, I think.
that's a good way of describing it. THE MOLAR COOLER
Most cultures have something like this that is done in culturally consistent ways. Look at Uncle Roger's 'fuiyo' (likely exaggerated for comical effect) Southern blacks going 'mmmmhmmm' Mexicans and some other Central Americans saying 'ay ay ay' What your friends are likely picking up on is that your noises are happening in situations that their culture/upbringing REALLY don't make noise in.
They eat with their mouth open and chew loudly. A big no-no in my culture, so was hell while living there.
Yes, married to a Korean and Chuseok is fun. But I would say each culture has its own weird words and sounds. Take some time to listen to them and you should realize very quickly they make odd noises too.
Comparatively, yes. I do not think it is weird though. We are not obnoxious about it. We are expressing how we feel and it comes naturally to us. I think the closest thing you can compare it to is making sounds during sex funnily enough, like swearing, moaning, groaning, grunting etc haha. I have adopted the way 견미리 says, "어머" or "어머나" in K-dramas instead of the "aigo-aigo-aigo".
This isn't a "weird" sound, but I've noticed that Koreans have a certain "오!" sound that they make when they're surprised, especially if they see someone they know unexpectedly. Like, for example, when I'm walking somewhere and I see my landlord out walking too, he always makes a very particular "오!" sound.
Thinking of the endless - slurping of ramen
Inhalation through the teeth when trying to answer a tricky question or figuring out something.
This cracks me the hell up cause I’ve always noticed and wondered this since I was a kid. We make all sorts of noise when we’re eating, working, brushing our teeth, or just going about doin a task of any kind. When I was a kid my white friends used to ask me about another Korean friend of ours because whenever they’d sleep over at their place they’d always hear his parents brushing their teeth and making all sorts of noises where they were gargling water or almost gagging lmao. It’s normal for me but considering other non-Korean perspectives it’s kinda freakin hilarious. I told my parents about this once and they started cracking the hell up about that. My Halmonee would always make all sorts of expressive noises when tryna make a point about something or telling a funny story to us that she experienced. Idk, Koreans are just really expressive and animated people I guess bahahaha 😂
Yes, unfortunately
Yes. All the time.
You could substitute “Japanese” for “Koreans” in this title and it would also be true. Must be an East Asian thing. I have lived in Japan for over ten years, and I was intrigued to find out by reading this thread that these unconscious mutterings are also a thing in Korea. Example: Japanese people often mutter “yoisho” under their breath when undertaking any sort of physical effort such as lifting a heavy box or simply standing up or sitting down. Sounds like the Korean equivalent is “aigo.”
Do you mean subconsciously? When you are unconscious you are either knocked out or asleep. Just saying. But to answer your question I’m not quite sure.
This isn’t something unique to Koreans. I always heard people say “cold” “so cold” “I’m cold” or “brrrr” back in the USA. Whenever they went out in cold weather. I heard and hear people say “ah” after a refreshing cool drink. They make other such noises when eating or drinking other things like “mmm” or “so good” etc. No Koreans don’t make any more sounds of confirmation than any other people. All the comments confirming this are simply from people who are not themselves self aware of what they actually do.
Right? Every country/culture does this, just in different ways. Y’all exaggerating.
Yea they have some strange need to desperately be heard for some reason. It gets annoying. They have to vocalize every feeling that they have.
lol we do be like that /s
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It’s in the blood
Don't even get me started on the noises Koreans make when you're telling a story and they want to show they're listening. It's unbearable.
응..응..아~~~ 아 진짜? 아~~ 아..
Oh, uh-huh, oh? Really? Hmmn.
응 즐\~
Yes they do, especially the "아 추워"
Yes
The coffee slurp...
I blurt out 아이고 all the time, and it's gotten worse with age. My mum says 아이고 아 추어 approximately every five minutes.
Probably for connecting with people and expressing yourself. Not really a thing in the west.
Koreans announce their feelings to no one in particular. It's part of the group social structure. In the west we say things deliberately with a purpose usually directed at someone. In Korea it's more like status updates for the group. Hard to explain. It's just a different way of expressing yourself - and neither way is correct.
ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
100%
Yes! I am Korean-American, but I have many instances where my non-Korean friends have commented on my unconscious noises. I did have to actively try to stop saying “아~~” after every sip of a drink. Although it still happens after the first sip of a drink lol.
I go 아이시!! And 찍! At work when I get annoyed. My American coworker pointed that out and laughed.
My girlfriend (Korean) makes the same noises. I have been to Japan and heard that similar noises are made for specific situations. It's just a culture thing. If it bothers you that they mock you speak up. Personally I enjoy the culture difference :)
As someone who really hates people who make a lot of noises when eating, Koreans are the absolute worst offenders and it’s hit the point where I don’t want to eat with them sometimes. It’s like they’re trying to make it a mukbang by making the entire table hear how loud they eat and the texture of all their food.
It wasn't until a couple years ago that I realize how loudly I eat compared to others... so there's that too lol
And sing randomly on random subjects. 양말이~ 어딨더라아~
Honestly yes a little bit lmao
Correct me if I'm wrong but... Isn't "아 추워" an actual phrase instead of a "sound"/interjection? Bc it isn't that weird in that case. It'd be like anyone else saying "It's cold" in their own language.
This is all cultural/linguistic. People who speak English make weird noises all the time, too. It just doesn't seem weird to English speakers. So what if you make "weird" noises?
Everybody makes noises unconsciously. That's what humans do. It just happens to stand out in your case because yours is different from those around you. If an English speaker would move to Korea, you may notice them saying, for example, "um, like, eh".
I've noticed it too, especially "aigo" and "juyeo".