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| Sohn Wonho gives lectures on YouTube virtually the Standard Arabic language. |
By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Nuran Sami Hassan Ibrahim
Photos, Video = Sohn Wonho
With complex in addition to circuitous grammer rules, pronunciation sounds that don't be inwards other languages, in addition to over a hundred 1000000 words, Standard Arabic is i of the richest in addition to most hard languages to ever exist. Accordingly, people of Standard Arabic source aren't born familiar alongside such a large release of words inwards their woman rear tongue, in addition to it tin live on tough to acquire the important of the many vocabulary words that be widely across media in addition to literature. This is why learning Standard Arabic is a peculiarly massive challenge for non-native speakers. Today, Korea.net interviews a passionate Standard Arabic linguistic communication learner from Korea. Meet Sohn Wonho, a graduate pupil in addition to quondam KBS World Radio Standard Arabic announcer in addition to electrical flow YouTuber whose aim is to heighten both ends of the translation duad -- Korean in addition to Arabian -- alongside the noesis of each's traditions in addition to linguistic heritage.
- Please innovate yourself.
My cite is Sohn Wonho in addition to I operate for the Korea National Oil Corporation. At the same time, I'm studying for my graduate grade inwards Islamic history in addition to culture at the University of Sharjah. I too create out the YouTube channel “Korean Shams inwards Arabic” to part information virtually the Arab basis alongside all my Korean viewers.
- Your Standard Arabic cite is "Shams." Is at that topographic point a argue for this? Did you lot option this cite for yourself?
When I started my YouTube channel, I needed a novel cite that reflected my icon every bit a duad betwixt the Arabian basis in addition to the Korean world. So I chose "Shams, which agency "sun" inwards Arabic, hoping that I could live on a source of lite for the Koreans out at that topographic point who desire to acquire virtually the Standard Arabic linguistic communication in addition to Arab countries, in addition to too for whatever Arabs who desire to acquire to a greater extent than virtually Korea.
- When did you lot start learning Arabic, in addition to why Arabic?
Actually, my manful soul rear worked for a Korean cloth company, in addition to his primary sales part was the Arab world, especially the Gulf countries. He could speak i Standard Arabic dialect, though unfortunately he couldn’t read or write, in addition to it looked truly cool to me. At that time, at that topographic point were truly entirely a few Korean people who could speak whatever dialect of Standard Arabic fluently.
In 1999, I had to direct a major at university. My manful soul rear recommended I direct the Standard Arabic language, thinking of the large release of Arabic-speaking countries. He told me that if I could speak criterion Arabic, I could create something novel that other people couldn't do, in addition to that it would opened upwards my eyes to a novel basis that was silent pretty much unknown inwards Korea, fifty-fifty though this part has been playing an of import utilisation inwards the world. So I chose Standard Arabic cheers to my father.
- You stimulate got a YouTube channel nether the cite "Korean Shams inwards Arabic." What's your destination for the channel?
There are a lot of Korean people who alive inwards the 22 predominantly Arabic-speaking countries or who see a predominantly Arabic-speaking province for concern or pleasure. However, there's niggling run a jeopardy for them to truly acquire virtually the Standard Arabic linguistic communication in addition to the many Arab peoples, despite their passion for learning. I noticed that they were all learning virtually the Arab basis on YouTube, inwards English. So I started to think virtually opening my ain YouTube channel inwards the Korean linguistic communication for Korean people, to assistance them approach the Standard Arabic linguistic communication in addition to the many types of Arab people much to a greater extent than easily.
In the nigh future, I desire to verbalise virtually Korea to my Arab viewers inwards the Standard Arabic linguistic communication on my YouTube channel.
- What Arab countries stimulate got you lot visited, in addition to what for?
My get-go Arab province was Arab Republic of Egypt inwards 2003. I studied Standard Arabic at that topographic point for 6 months through an Egyptian authorities scholarship program. I stayed inwards the lovely expanse of Doqi inwards Cairo.
Then I moved to Sanaa, Yemen, to amend my Standard Arabic in addition to lived inwards old Sanaa for ix months. I silent think that the Yemeni dialect of Standard Arabic was truly difficult. I couldn’t empathise what they were talking virtually when I was at a qat coming together alongside my Yemeni friends.
In 2012, my companionship sent me to Baghdad, Iraq, every bit an unloose energy adviser at the Korean Embassy inwards Iraq. I stayed at that topographic point for i year.
Since 2013, I've lived inwards Dubai, UAE, in addition to I operate at the KNOC Dubai office. In September 2016, I started studying Islamic history at graduate schoolhouse at the University of Sharjah.
- Have you lot visited whatever famous landmarks inwards the Arab world?
Yes, of course. The Middle East is amount of historical landmarks. In Egypt, I’ve visited the pyramids, Luxor's Karnak Temple in addition to the Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel, the Siwa Oasis in addition to Alexandria.
Then I lived inwards Old Sanaa, which is a historical landmark itself, in addition to saw the Gulf of Aden. In Iraq, I’ve visited Baghdad University, the Ziggurat of Ur, the Imam Ali Mosque in addition to the Citadel of Erbil.
Now that I alive inwards the UAE, I tin regard novel historical landmarks similar the Burj Khalifa, the Burj al-Arab in addition to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
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| Sohn Wonho is a quondam KBS World Radio Standard Arabic announcer. |
- There's something virtually the Standard Arabic linguistic communication that, when you lot acquire it, you lot stimulate got to decide, first, which dialect you're going to learn. Nobody ever uses standard, formal Standard Arabic inwards their daily lives. For example, the Emirati dialect differs from an Egyptian's way of speech. So, did you lot specifically direct a sure enough dialect to learn?
These days, I'm focusing on learning the Emirati dialect.
- Did that negatively touching on your learning process?
To non-Arabic speaker, it seems that those are 2 dissimilar languages, fifty-fifty though unopen to Arabic-speakers insist that it's the same Standard Arabic language. So nosotros stimulate got to written report them all separately. For example, unopen to people who written report entirely standard, classic Standard Arabic tin communicate alongside whatever other educated Arab soul without whatever problem. However, when they acquire into the daily conversation of the mutual Arab people, they volition acquire discouraged, finding that standard, classic Standard Arabic is totally dissimilar from what people truly speak on the ground.
- What create you lot think is the hardest portion of learning Arabic?
Of course, the departure betwixt standard, classic Standard Arabic in addition to the many dialects is the hardest part. I've had to overcome that. If I had to crown it all, I'd state that the dialects vary according to dissimilar areas of the Arab world.
- You studied the history of a few Arab countries, right? Which was most interesting to you?
Of course, what attracted me were the genius Arab scholars from the Abbasid Caliphate, such every bit Ibn Khaldun (1334-1406) in addition to Tabari (839-923). Thanks to them, they developed the schoolhouse organization that tin silent live on seen at the Mustansiriya Madrasah inwards Baghdad. All of us know that without them, Europe would non stimulate got experienced its Renaissance and, inwards turn, at that topographic point would live on no modern culture inwards the Western World.
- Did you lot honor anything hard to adjust to inwards price of your everyday-life inwards those Arabic-speaking countries?
The way you lot move friends inwards Arab countries is dissimilar from inwards Korea. I made my ain theory for this. In Korea, there's i door inwards front end of you, in addition to you lot stimulate got to opened upwards this door to brand them your friend. It's non slow to opened upwards at first, but if you lot knock several times, it'll opened upwards in addition to they volition live on your friend. With Arab people, however, at that topographic point are 2 doors. The get-go door is e'er opened upwards cheers to the Arab habit of e'er welcoming a stranger. If you lot desire to brand that Arab soul your existent friend, however, you lot stimulate got to opened upwards the instant door. It's never slow in addition to you lot request fourth dimension in addition to something special to part alongside them. Thus, it's slow for Korean people past times fault to think that an Arab has move their existent friend, fifty-fifty though they've entirely opened the get-go door.
- Are at that topographic point whatever positive traits or anything special you lot establish inwards Arab countries, that you lot haven't establish anywhere else?
Arabs are e'er opened upwards to strangers in addition to non-Arabs, alongside an opened upwards mind, cheers to their spirit, in addition to Arabs are to a greater extent than human inwards relationships than others.
- What are your goals inwards general?
Wherever I am, either alongside a companionship or inwards a personal way, I desire to part what I’ve learned virtually all the dissimilar Arab peoples alongside my Korean people, to assistance them move closer to the Arab world, in addition to to give information virtually Korea to Arabic-speakers everywhere.
Check out Shams' YouTube channel here.
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