The Ne Double Standard

"Ne," pronounced with a long A, means yes.

One of the Korean teachers uses her breaks to make phone calls in the lounge. She calls her mom or friends or boyfriends and I'm glad she's staying in touch with whomever. It doesn't bother my reading and everyone else is teaching or on the computers in the library.

But the conversation is very limited. She's, of course, speaking in Korean and I still don't speak any. But I understand the entire half of the conversation I hear.

All she says is "Ne."

"Ne...Ne...Ne...Ne..."

"Any students grinding your patience?"

"Ne."

"How are you?"

"Ne."

"Your father's just been shot through the hand with an arrow and we'll have to put off his meeting your boyfriend for another week."

"Ne."

NE NE NE!

Radio hosts do it too while the interviewee is talking. "So I was at the door listening for the burglar--Ne--and I peeked around the door--Ne--and saw he had a gun--Ne--and I panicked--Ne--and the door creaked--Ne--and he saw me--Ne--and--Ne--he--Ne--SHUT UP AND LET ME TELL THE STORY!--Ne."

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I went to Mom's Cooking: Chicken & Burgers this past weekend. The cashier, a pretty teen girl, spoke no English. Australia and I walked in and she giggled. She knew she knew no English and that we knew no Korean (Australia knows minimal). She could hear the awkward conversation that was coming. She said her Korean and Australia tried to understand and failed and ended up just nodding. My turn came and I remembered Canada's advice. I ordered a chicken thigh burger.

"한국의?"

"Ne."

"한국의한국의?"

"Ne."

"한국의한국의한국의?"

"Ne."

And I got my chicken thigh burger and fries and drink and it was great and all I needed was "Ne."

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