Is Jin a quick learner or what?? English is one bitch of a language to learn, but he sounded downright all-American for a minute there. And I noticed it with Sun, too. She had no accent for several of her lines.

I thought it was weird when Jin looked sympathetically at Bernard when he said Rose had Cancer. How would he know that word from listening to people on the island?

Jin definitely knew some words that he probably hadnt heard before, nor should Sun have taught him. Like 'cancer', and know that an 'affair' means that Sun cheated on him. Kind of odd.

So... Jin doesn't understand words such as DANGER and DIE! but he has no problem picking up "affair" in a conversation?

I think he did understand danger, but just didn't care because he was determined to stick with Sun.

He understood the words, but decided to trust his wife over Julliette.

Although it was definitely odd how he knows words like 'cancer' and 'affair'. I dont see how he'd pick those up or why Sun would teach him.

So... Jin doesn't understand words such as DANGER and DIE! but he has no problem picking up "affair" in a conversation?

Jinglish! You so crazy.

Yeah, he seemed to know what Juliet was saying, but he told her he was sticking with Sun.

And anyway, we're going to have to accept a certain amount of suspension of disbelief for Jin's english. Not only that, it's not very clear which words he understands and what he's able to glean from an entire sentence or series of sentences. It's quite possible that he didn't understand the word "cancer" but picked up on Bernard's overall tone and words like "sick" for example. This is nitpicking.

This is nitpicking.

Yeah, but I'm bored. I haven't been so bored with an episode of LOST since that one with Ben pulling a stupid pointless con on Sawyer and the other one with Locke torching polar bears.

I don't want to go to bed THIS early on a LOST night. :p

I didn't mean to offend. And I understand not wanting to go to bed after lost! I never can.

But you found this episode to be boring? I thought it was really good.

Nah, don't worry, I'm not easily offended. :budi:

Yep. Bored I was. I'm not outraged or anything, I'm way more relaxed about this show than I was a season ago and just take it one week at a time, but yeah... zzzzzzzzzzz through most of it. Then again, I liked last week so I'm not in tune with the fandom, obviously.

OK, Jinglish... Yeah, I suppose you guys are right that he didn't care that Locke is craaazypants and would keep them on the Island anyway, but then again... I don't really care that much.

Karma is pretty international, I think it's a concept that everyone would understand around the world. I don't know about some of the rest, but his conversation with Jack was so cute. I love my boys!

I liked last week too. In fact, I like almost all LOST episodes. I don't think I'd have it in me to spend time on a message board if I didn't! I mean, whatever it is like specifically, each episode give us more of the story, and really that's what I want. MORE LOST!

I don't think he understood the word "affair." It was when Juliet said "she was with another man" that he got furious.

Hey, Clauds. I liked last week AND this week; in fact, I've got no complaints this season (well, aside from the tiresome triangle crap and the fact that Foxy STILL hasn't gotten naked... but this isn't cable, so...).

You don't need to know every single word to understand the meaning of what someone is saying. Plus, when everyone around you speaks a foreign language, you tend to catch on fast. When I moved to US I learned the basics of the language in like a month so I think it's normal that he understands a lot of what people are saying

I never get the impression that he's understanding every single word. But yes, you can understand the overall concept of what's being discussed, I would think, from a few key words in a sentence.

I find it odd, though, that someone like Bernard would say "Can I tag along?" because that doesn't have obvious meaning to someone who doesn't know a lot of English. It's very colloquial.

What I find very interesting is the actor and actress. She's a native Korean speaker who has learned English, so her accent is real, and she has gotten really good at losing it. He, on the other hand, is a native American English speaker, not a native Korean speaker, who is speaking English as someone who is learning it as a second language. It's excellent work on his part!

It's excellent work on his part!

Absolutely! It always amazes me when I see a DDK interview, where he has absolutely no trace of any accent. Then I have to remind myself, of course he wouldn't, English is his primary language! Not only does he do a great job of fooling us on a mere speaking level, but I'm always impressed by how well he sells it in the looking like he doesn't understand everyone aspect.

Absolutely! It always amazes me when I see a DDK interview, where he has absolutely no trace of any accent. Then I have to remind myself, of course he wouldn't, English is his primary language! Not only does he do a great job of fooling us on a mere speaking level, but I'm always impressed by how well he sells it in the looking like he doesn't understand everyone aspect.
Yep! I agree.

I thought it was weird when Jin looked sympathetically at Bernard when he said Rose had Cancer. How would he know that word from listening to people on the island?

I think Cancer is the universal word and maybe he watched the Clinton impeachment hearings?

Didn't Bernard also repeat it somewhat by saying Rose was "sick?" I think between the two statements about cancer and being sick, Jin picked up that he was concerned about Rose.

Likewise, Juliet also followed her affair comment saying Sun had been with another man.

I thought he stopped moving and looked slightly hurt when he heard "affair", then listened to the rest. If I were in another country and all I picked up from the language was "Your wife had a ________", initial context wouldn't make me think cheating.

Maybe thats why they threw in Jin's line "..and Sawyer" when describing how he learned English? Of anyone to use that word in conversation (maybe asking jin if he ever had an affair), Sawyer would be the one

Perhaps the properties of the island can speed up his learning process and allow for
quicker learning abilities?!
Sounds crazy, but it is one heck of an island.

Maybe thats why they threw in Jin's line "..and Sawyer" when describing how he learned English? Of anyone to use that word in conversation (maybe asking jin if he ever had an affair), Sawyer would be the one

I think this is a pretty good explanation.

I wonder what other words Sawyer has taught Jin.... :eek2:

I definitely noticed his lack of accent on a few of the English lines...oh well. It's not that big of a deal I guess.

I'm quite disappointed in this. I thought it was a very courageous decision to have a non-English-speaking character on a show such as this, but they've sacrificed that for unrealistic narrative advancement. Strikes me as a type of dumbing down which Lost normally forswears.

But yeah, the Sun 'n' Sawyer Language School would put the Berlitz Academy out of business within a month.

Jin definitely knew some words that he probably hadnt heard before, nor should Sun have taught him. Like 'cancer', and know that an 'affair' means that Sun cheated on him. Kind of odd.


These were exactly the two points that I picked up.

Jin definitely knew some words that he probably hadnt heard before, nor should Sun have taught him. Like 'cancer', and know that an 'affair' means that Sun cheated on him. Kind of odd.
I think the words he got were "Rose, sick, dying" and "Sun, slept with, another, man", not 'cancer' and 'affair'

Having taught English in South Korea for a year, I can say with near certainty that there is absolutely no way whatsoever that his English would have progressed to the level it has in the show during the given timeframe.

I would have preferred juliet saying " Sun Sucky Sucky Jae Lee, She love him Long time. The make Sexy Sexy"

Having taught English in South Korea for a year, I can say with near certainty that there is absolutely no way whatsoever that his English would have progressed to the level it has in the show during the given timeframe.

Uh, it sure might in a time of adversity. This sort of advacncement is totally feasible.

this is just another example of the writers forcing things in like when locke says " i saw walt, just taller. " they dont want to have to keep using subtitles for jin, im sure by the finale hes gonna be doing shakespear.

first thought,,, there are a lot of hours in the day that we don't see in the tv show that JIN could be studying

second thought.... if he is time jumping then he could have started his english studies much earlier


like bill murray in groundhogs day learning the piano to impress andie mcdowell