NDS My Language Coach - Chinese and Japanese

[puppet_princess]

I don't know how many people know about this but after all the "My ___ Coach" Nintendo DS games for learning Spanish, French, and English they are finally branching out into Asian languages.

My Chinese Coach (Mandarin) was released the other day.  I played around with it a bit yesterday.  Clearly made in mind of the Olympics, but it included writing

Comments

[doctorfedora]

Korean? Peh! That'll never sell in the US! Korea's like the Canada of southeast Asia!

(I keed, I keed. I'm sure Korea's a lovely country, but outside of actual Koreans there honestly seems to be an absolutely minimal interest in the country in the US, whereas both Japan and China seem to have a sort of mystique about them)

[puppet_princess]

lol Some forgets the Korean wave.
Though... You would be shocked at how many Korean Americans can't speak Korean... and even have parents who do speak it. >_

[wiped]

well, korea's not in southeast asia at all; it's in north-east asia, commonly referred to as just "east asia." and anyway korean is growing in importance in the US, particularly in business as US-korean economic links become stronger. there are more koreans in the US than japanese, and while there may be minimal interest in korea and korean where you live, in california (where there is a substantial korean population) most colleges throughout the state offer korean classes and many non-koreans are interested in korean language, cuisine, etc.

[puppet_princess]

Hawaii has a huge population too. And the University produces the top rated Korean textbook course written in America. lol Random factoids.

[akibare]

There are a LOT of Korean speakers in Champaign-Urbana, IL too. Some are from Korea, others are local (or from the Chicago burbs), but I hear the language spoken multiple times a day, every day, just standing in line or walking down the street or whatever it is. The town library has children's books in Korean, there are quite a few Korean language churches, and plenty of Korean restaurants and Korean hair care places.

Completely randomly I overheard some people at the coffeehouse this morning talking about the fact that apparently the University of Illinois is one of the most, popular destinations for Korean students in the US. I have no hard confirmation of it but I wouldn't be surprised.

So, the university does have Korean language classes too, and any takers would not lack for local practice.

/just one of those "really? Here?" things :)

[bugtilaheh]

I work at a music building at my university and hear people speaking in Korean everyday! :D

(North Texas here!)