If that were so, then why were they trying to devise thier own language of hand signals to get around office work?

I talked to one friend who did not work in the office at the time, and I couldn't follow his explanation, although he is usually very articulate, with a mastery of english around a high school advanced/honors level. It was the concept that I couldn't understand.

The only thing I really took away from the conversation was "knee DDoh-ng kool-dta", which means "your excrement is thick!" And is used in response to someone showing off. He said if a korean were to normally talk to another korean in english, that those around him/her would think that they were just trying to show off, and maybe use that phrase. This seems to be the opposite of making a mistake. Or maybe it has to do with rubbing mistakes in others faces. . .

. . . anyway. . .

I just notice they can't bring themselves ever to do that. Even in an english language group I help with, unless one of them is assigned a presentation in english, or we enact a script in english, unless they are talking to me they speak korean.

Regards,
Justin Kelly