When I was about to be a reporter-trainee of CBT, I used the expression, “having a movement”while writing an article. Absolutely, I couldn’t realize the strangeness. However, a foreign professor laughed aloud after he saw the expression. The real meaning of the expression I used with the intention to express “campaign” was “using a toilet.”
That moment remains in my memory, and it is a pleasant mistake to remember as I translate articles. Thanks to that memory, I still remember the meaning of the expression. When I write an article in English, I firstly write it in Korean and then translate it. Mistakes are caused by the greed to translate the meaning of Korean to English. Making the translation clear is good, but changing Korean words to English makes the sentences unnecessarily longer. Also, there is a danger of expressing words differently without intention.
There are numerous episodes I experience as I write the articles in English. Like the above example, I have made completely different expressions without intention, and I have made sentences that the professor couldn’t understand. Though I often make mistakes, I think I have learned from those events. Therefore, my writing skill has improved although it is not perfect.
My improvement is a result of writing articles in English steadily. At first, I also had difficulties in translating to English. Furthermore, too many wrong expressions that I used made me shameful when I was checked by a foreign professor. However, I began to find out my improvement as I easily translated short articles.
As foreigners have difficulties in speaking and writing Korean, writing in English is difficult to the people whose native language is not English. However, we cannot avoid English even though it is difficult. There is a saying, “Enjoy if you cannot avoid.” You have to try to master English rather than only think it is difficult.
Whatever you are studying, it is natural that there are many trials and errors to master it. Through the process, it will become perfect. Don’t be scared of making mistakes and having them pointed out. The mistake will make you ashamed then. However, if you didn’t know that you made a mistake, you will make the mistake repeatedly. Isn’t it better that you improve your writing skill through being ashamed once than you making the same mistakes over again?