Nicky
"University" 그건 말이 안돼요.

Attention Koreans:

Native English speakers use the word "college", not "university". I keep hearing (and seeing) Koreans using "university" mistakenly, and I figured I should let everyone know. So instead of saying "I'm a university student", you should be saying "I'm a college student." Now when you say the name of your school, that is when you say "I go to Hongik University" (or whatever school you're going too). The word "university" is almost exclusively used within this context.

 

감사합니다 여러분 ^^

Jan 31, 2015 2:24 PM
Comments · 30
1

If Korean students never say 'college' and always say 'university', this means that they consider themselves to be university students, surely?

They will have been taught this term by their own tutors at the said universities. This is a description of their level of education in Korea, not in the USA. So, with all due respect, Nicky, I can't see how you can be in a position to tell people in a Korean university that they are wrong about their own education and their own education system.

 

February 1, 2015
1

I do not think there is any problem at all with saying "I am a university student" or "I'm going to a university" in the United States. It will be perfectly <em>understood</em> and is perfectly common. I do not think a foreign student who is accustomed to saying "university" should bother to try to change.

 

It is important to know that in the U.S. "college" usually means "four years of higher education, following high school, leading to a 'bachelor's degree.'" That is, people living in the U.S. need to know that when they hear the word "college," it means higher education, not high school

 

Whether people <em>say</em> "college" or "university" is <em>variable</em> and depends on the context. Often they will simply echo the formal name of the school. Someone who is an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin may well say "I'm going to the university" or "I'm a university student." This is particularly true in a town that has a big state university in it--people think and say "university."


There is no uniform terminology nationally. Broadly a "university" is a collection of more than one "school," and typically includes graduate schools and one (or more) undergraduate schools, often called "colleges." Thus Harvard College is an undergraduate school that is part of Harvard University. A Harvard undergraduate could call herself either a "college student" or a "university student," both would be correct. 

 

It would be technically incorrect to say "university student" in two specific cases: when the student is attending a small liberal-arts college like Williams or Amherst which is not part of a larger university; or, when the student is attending one of two specific universities which, for reasons of historical tradition, are officially named "colleges." 

February 1, 2015
1

We use college in the context that University is used for the British. Almost always. Now I can tell you guys that Koreans are trying to speak English like Americans. I know this as a fact. There are schools here who will only hire North Americans. Conversely I've never heard of a school that targets British or Irish etc...It's common knowledge here in Korea. So if the North American version is what they are aiming for, then they ought to say college. It also sounds akward to hear a Korean girl say she needs to "go to the toilet". Lol

January 31, 2015
1

Ah, I see. I didn't know that. However Koreans are trying to speak English like Americans though, and they use university like they're British. It sounds awkward to my Murican ears. 

January 31, 2015

Yean I've been staying up really late because I had the week off. I could see why Canada would follow the British usage. The usage of college is apparently an American(US) thing. Just lIke inches, feet, and degrees Fahrenheit. The US is ignorant like that I guess.

February 2, 2015
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