The sweltering heat of summer is upon us, and there is an English expression that reflects this season: 'Dog Days.' At first glance, one might wonder why it refers to dogs. However, this phrase has historical and astronomical roots, dating back to the ancient Romans, who considered the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star, during summer as the hottest time of the year. Thus, even a familiar English phrase carries centuries of culture and civilization.
Lee Cheol-jae, a 61-year-old attorney in the United States, recently published a book titled Opening the World with a Sentence in English, which delves into these hidden stories of the English language.
When one hears that an American attorney has written an English book, they might expect it to cover legal terminology or practical conversation. However, this book takes a different approach. It leans more towards a humanities text, discussing history, culture, literature, and art rather than grammar or conversation. Lee's insights, shaped by his experiences studying in the U.S. and his career in law, combined with his long-standing exploration of classical music and global culture, allow him to uncover traces of civilization in even a single English word.
Lee's life is as diverse as the content of his book. After graduating from high school in Seoul, he moved to the U.S., where he majored in sociology at Sam Houston State University in Texas and Fordham University in New York. He earned his Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Syracuse University College of Law, known for its strong basketball program. He later obtained his attorney licenses in New York and Washington, D.C., and continues to work in international law, frequently traveling between Korea and the U.S.
Law is just one aspect of his life. Having studied classical music from a young age, he has worked as a music planner, bringing renowned performers to South Korea. He has a deep understanding of classical music as well as popular music and the arts from the 1970s and 1980s, regularly writing related columns. He has also authored books on music, cities, and popular culture, including Can I Enjoy Bach?, New York Odyssey, and Endless Stories Engraved in Songs. This time, he has expanded his interests to the English language.
The book encourages readers to view everyday English words and expressions from a fresh perspective. For instance, 'Bluetooth' derives from the nickname of Harald Bluetooth, a 10th-century Danish king, while 'Yahoo' symbolizes human greed as depicted in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. Modern technological terms like 'drone,' 'phishing,' and 'Wi-Fi' also have intriguing origins.
Lee does not merely introduce etymologies; he connects the dots between a single English word and broader themes, including Nordic history, British culture, the Bible, Old English, Shakespeare, world literature, American society, and the evolution of the IT industry. Learning English thus becomes a journey through world history and cultural understanding.
Another appealing aspect of the book is the living English stories Lee has experienced firsthand. He shares everyday examples, such as how to order hand-drip coffee in the U.S. using the term 'pour-over,' and provides engaging explanations of cultural events like Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas, and St. Patrick's Day. He believes that understanding a language requires grasping the lifestyle of the society it comes from.
Consequently, the book features little in the way of grammatical rules or rote memorization techniques. Instead, it weaves together history, religion, literature, art, sports, and music, transforming English into a field of humanities. It offers new perspectives not only for beginners but also for those who have studied English for a long time.
Lee states, 'Even a single English word contains a thousand years of history and a whole civilization. Knowing English opens up the world, and understanding the world makes English even more enjoyable.'
Opening the World with a Sentence in English is not just a book for teaching English; it is a book for reading the world through English. The moment readers discover unexpected histories and cultures hidden within familiar words, English becomes not just a subject for exams but a new starting point for the humanities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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