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As Much as a Rat's Tail Korean Slang book cover, illustrated rat in a suit against black and red type

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Korean Slang · cover

As Much as a Rat's Tail Korean Slang book cover, illustrated rat in a suit against black and red type

Exile Press

Korean Slang

As much as a Rat's Tail | 한국 비속어: 쥐꼬리만큼 (Insiders Guide)

By Peter N. Liptak and Siwoo Lee

A textbook can tell you what the words mean. This book lets you in on what people mean when they say them: the jokes, the insults, the awkward moments and the culture behind the comeback.

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$19.95

Paperback · In stock

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A language with a life outside the classroom

Get the joke. Read the room.

You can know the grammar and still miss the punch line. As Much as a Rat’s Tail follows Korean into the places a polite phrasebook rarely goes: banter between friends, bar talk, schoolyard language, Konglish, insults and euphemisms. It explains not just what an expression translates to, but what is going on when somebody uses it.

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One phrase, two meanings

입이 싸다

Word for word
“Your mouth is cheap.”
In conversation
Someone is loose-tongued. They can’t keep a secret.

That distance between translation and meaning is the fun of this book.

The Straight Scoop

Extra notes unpack unusual words and the meanings a dictionary misses.

Culturally Speaking

Cultural notes explain the social cues behind a phrase and who can say it to whom.

Rat Ratings

Each entry gets a social-risk rating, from polite conversation to words best left unsaid.

A taste of the contents

What’s on the menu?

The book sorts its slang like a meal. The categories tell you where an expression comes from and when you might use it.

Rice
The expressions you reach for every day.
Panchan
A little something on the side, for the right moment.
Soju
The talk that comes out over drinks.
The Kimchi Pot
Spicy language and swearing. Mind your company.
Ddokboki
Sexual expressions, served with a warning.
Coffee
Konglish borrowed from English.
Sushi
Slang with roots in Japanese.
Hakgyo
The words students use outside the classroom.

The book has a cast

Meet the people behind the punch lines.

Korean and English dialogues put each expression into a scene. The recurring characters are fictional; their conversations show how much tone and company matter.

ChangHyun 창현
The troublemaker they call the Rat.
SiWoo 시우
A philosopher of slang.
SoYoon 소윤
So smart it gets on everyone’s nerves.
JiYoon 지윤
Everyone’s little sister, with an eye for fashion.

Look inside

See how the slang actually works

A phrase can mean one thing in a dictionary and something else entirely among friends. See how Korean slang works in illustrated conversations, with the context a classroom usually leaves out.

Interior spread from Korean Slang. Select it to view it larger.

From the entry for nakhasan

Literally meaning a parachute, nakhasan became slang for the influence of one’s parents or political connections being used to gain a favorable position or preferential treatment. It is roughly akin to “pulling strings” or being born with a silver spoon.

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More to explore

About the book

The full story

Korean Slang: As much as a Rat's Tail | 한국 비속어: 쥐꼬리만큼 

The Insider’s guide to learning Korean Slang, Invective and Euphemism – An irreverent look at Language within Culture

Want to learn what the kids are really saying? All the Korean they will never teach you in class? To finally master Korean, & keep up with the inside jokes, the slang & the insults as you throw back soju with friends?

If so, get 'street' with:

AS MUCH AS A RAT'S TAIL – THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO KOREAN SLANG, INVECTIVE & EUPHEMISM

(AN IRREVERENT LOOK AT LANGUAGE WITHIN CULTURE)

Want to finally master Korean through witty expressions, fun dialogue, a solid command of slang, and some kickass culture tips?
Learn the fun way, then impress your friends, win arguments with your soon-to-be ex, or understand Korean pop culture, without having to rub shoulders the totally-tattooed gangpae (mob guy) at the bathhouse or the local room salon. ​

YOU’RE COOL LIKE KOREA… YOU’RE A REAL BADASS, SO LEARN TO SPEAK LIKE ONE!
Being a linguistic badass in Korea takes more than knowing how to say a simple 안녕하세요, so shake shit up and raise eyebrows with some well placed Korean slang.
“Why learn slang?” you query… ’cause it’s fun! It breaks down barriers between cultures, it raises eyebrows… It says you’re down, you’re cool like Korea, you’re Badass! So learn some slang from the GreyRat before you become the linguistic equivalent of a 99-pound weakling.

Korean is rich with dynamic linguistic expressions and freshly coined language. A Rat's Tail dives into the intricacies of modern Korean slang introducing the hip, hot, spicy & sexual, the irreverent and inspiring, the cultural, crass & comical.

This is the Korean not covered in the language books, full of color and infused with philosophy. With A Rat's Tail in hand, you can impress others with your verbal acumen as you complement their fashion sense, dish out dirty words, or text up a storm, while you gain insight into the mind and culture of the Korean people.

Inside - Get the lingo on:

  • Get real with expressions so necessary they're like rice
  • Add variety to your language with a little something on the side
  • Cool stuff to say & do at the bar or the nightclub
  • Spicy language & swearing
  • Say it ain't so with something hot and sweet!
  • Get to work with something sexy to say.
  • What they say in the halls, not the classroom!
  • Have a cup of Konglish. Orai? OK Buddy! Hai-ting! & more...

Get the Straight Scoop with explanations of uncommon words & unusual usage.
Culturally Speaking - get the skinny on how Koreans think, speak or act.
Plus how to pick up, break up, make up, or get down & dirty.
Find out who's abusing you and how to talk about someone behind their back.

Either you’re here as a novice, to learn a bit of shocking language, or you’re here to share some wisdom, or maybe to disagree with the whole concept, but whatever your reason for visiting, we’d like to say thanks and welcome! Now, let’s get to work!

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FormatPriceAvailability
Paperback$19.95In stock
Ebook$9.99In stock

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