유시민의 글쓰기 특강 (Writing lecture by Yoo Shi-min)

I'm a translator. The most important capacity of a translator is, of course, writing skills.
That's why I bought this book. Actually the time I bought this was last year when I visited my country, Korea. So, it has been almost 8 months. I have been too busy to read this book. I had to go to a language school, work hard and solve some problems that I faced with. And.... I have worked for 1 week on KO-EN translation. It was so hard... I realized my English writing skill is not good enough. I already knew it before, but this tough work reminded me. That's why I'm writing a post now. I need to practice more and more and more.

Anyways, after finishing that so much tough work, finally, I have some spare time this morning. So, I decided to start to read this book. The beginning part is so interesting. The writer highlights the argumentation (논증: logical proof) of writing. He said that it is not good writing that has only opinion without any proof. According to the writer, there are three elements when we speak or write: fact, argument and confession of taste.
I think the term, confession of taste, is very funny. This implies the exact right meaning but the nuance of this sounds make me laugh. Some people cannot get the meaning right away, I think. So, I want to introduce one example that he mentioned in the book.
Actually he studied in Germany (right here where I AM!!). He participated in many study meetings at that time. In one meeting, there were two guys who were arguing with each other. One was from Munich, where the residents are very consecutive, and another was from Hamburg. I will call one as Munich and another as Hamburg. And there was a woman who is related to government and was wearing 9 piercings. Consecutive Munich said "Is she totally insane? With that money which she bought that many piercings with, it's better to donate to the charity." Then, Hamburg told him, "What is wrong? That is just the way for her to express her beauty. Then, do you think it is okay to wearing just earrings?" Munich answered, "Earrings is okay. It is normal." Hamburg said, "What is difference between them? Why doesn't someone who is wearing earrings have to donate to charity?" Then, Munich cannot speak anything. In this argument, Hamburg won. Munich spoke his confession of taste with 'Argument' format. If he said like "I don't like that kind of person who wears so many piercing," Hamburg wouldn't say like that. He would say like "Ah, you don't like it? But, I don't care." And the conversation would be end. But, he spitted out it as an argument. So, Hamburg could throw an opposite argument.

Like this, this book has many interesting story from the writer's experience. I will keep reading and share some more. :)