Tongue Surgery for Better English

mike · #1 04-08-2006, 03:40 AM

Is this true? This is another crazy item from the fan death website.

Quote:

The theory is that if you cut the frenulum (that's the tissue linking the tongue to the floor of the mouth), your tongue will be more flexible and be able to pronounce those difficult English sounds.

English pronunciation is important in Korea. Koreans have a belief, the better you speak English, the better your life will be. English just offers so many opportunities.

Korea is a highly competitive country, some parents believe that this may give their child an advantage.

Here is an article on the subject. Alright Eddie, time to ask your co-workers again!

Mike

eddiev9 · #2 04-08-2006, 04:17 AM

Oh, this is unbelievably true!

I thought it was a joke when I first heard of it...then I see other Koreans looking at me like, "What's so funny?"

They even had a few special programs on television of this subject; of how parents are crazy making their children go through the operation so they can pronounce the letter R in English.

BUT... it's not all about English. The purpose of this surgery is to rid kids of a lisp. Without the operation, they wouldn't even be able to speak Korean normally, either. In a culture where perfection is everything, it's only the right thing to do so you child will not grow up a freak.

The TV programs turned this "legend" in the direction of the "evil Western influence" thing, IMO.

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