reputation vs. fame

A common point of confusion: reputation vs. fame.

Although both can be translated as 명성 in Korean, there is a subtle difference between the two.

Fame means widespread popularity and public recognition, a close equivalent of 유명세, 명예 in Korean. Take a look at the following examples:

• If the latest allegation is true, if Lawrence Taylor had sex with a 16-year-old prostitute, then even the most feared defensive player in the history of professional football doesn’t belong in the Hall of Fame (명예의 전당). ... maybe it’s best if fans stop buying player jerseys, since it’s impossible to know what fame and fortune will do to athletes (Bloomberg, May 10, 2010)
• Fame on the level that Mr. Jackson achieved is all but impossible for pop culture heroes today, and quite likely it will never be possible again (New York Times, June 27, 2009)

Reputation means a favorable and publicly recognized name for achievement, or the opinion of others towards a person, a close equivalent of 좋은 평판, 명성 in Korean. While fame is uncountable, reputation is a countable noun, usually used as "to gain/build/ruin/have a reputation." Take a look at the following examples:

• Robert Halderman, a former CBS producer, was sentenced to 6 months in jail for trying to shake down David Letterman over office affairs...Halderman admitted trying to extort $2 million from the Late Show host last fall by threatening to ruin his reputation (USA Today, May 4, 2010)
• Ms. Kagan attended Hunter College Elementary and graduated in 1977 from the selective Hunter College High School, where her brother, Irving, teaches today. ... "Even though she was a year behind me in [elementary] school she had a reputation for being incredibly smart," said Jason Brown, a childhood and college friend who is now an attorney at Ropes &Gray LLP in New York (Wall Street Journal, May 10, 2010)
• During his 40-year tenure at The Post, Mr. Rosenfeld wrote more than 10,000 op-ed columns and unsigned editorials. He frequently took on two of the most polarizing issues of the time, the Cold War and the conflict in the Middle East, but built a reputation among colleagues for his unflagging efforts to understand the world and his ability to write intelligently about any part of it.(Washington Post obituary, May 3, 2010)
  

일축하다: dismiss vs. reject

일축하다 in Korean has two different meanings, and accordingly two different equivalents in English.

When 일축하다 means 제안이나 부탁을 단번에 거절하다, you should use reject or refuse.

• 새로운 사업 아이디어를 제안하였다가 사업 파트너에게 번번이 일축을 당한 후, 둘의 관계는 멀어졌다: After his new business ideas had been repeatedly rejected by his partner, their relationship soured.
  

But when 일축하다 means 의혹이나 주장을 (고려할 가치가 없다며) 부인하거나 더 이상 거론하지 않다, you should use dismiss.

• 한국 측은 자동차 무역을 다양한 산업을 포함한 더 큰 협정의 일부로 보아야 한다며 한미 자동차 무역에 대한 미국의 우려를 일축해 왔다: Korea has dismissed U.S. concerns over the [U.S.-Korea] auto trade, which it said should be seen as part of a bigger deal encompassing a variety of industries. (Wall Street Journal, January 21, 2010)
  

ameliorate/improve

Keep in mind that to ameliorate means to alleviate or mitigate something painful or bad. Similarly, to improve means to bring something into a more desirable condition, suggesting that it was less desirable before. Take a look at the following examples.

• We’re taking an extreme effort now to make sure that we reach a resolution because we are more and more sinking into a deficit situation that we may not be able to ameliorate, and I’m not just going to sit around and let this situation overwhelm the taxpayers of New York (New York Times, May 4, 2010): The author is trying to ameliorate a budget deficit, which is generally considered undesirable.
  
• The Indigenous HIV/AIDS Research Training program, designed specifically for indigenous and other underrepresented ethnic minority scholars, mentors and trains the scholars to design culturally grounded research that will contribute to ameliorating health disparities among American Indians and Alaska Natives in the areas of HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections, and mental health (Kimberly Teehee, "Together We Must Face the Challenge of HIV/AIDS in Native American Communities", March 19, 2010): Kimberly Teehee argues for ameliorating health disparities, which is also not a good thing to have.
• Europe's economic prospects are improving slightly, despite worries about government debts and persistently high unemployment (Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2010): By saying "improving," the author implies that Europe's economic prospects have not been so bright.
  

Therefore, when you are talking about a situation that is not necessarily undesirable, do not use "ameliorate" or "improve." The following sentences are some of the mistakes that I have seen very often.

• To strengthen its relationship with the U.S., Korea should renew the mutually beneficial trade agreement: If you said "improve" instead of "strengthen," it would imply that the relationship hasn't been very good. By saying "strengthen," you suggest that renewing the agreement makes the relationship even stronger.
  
• By successfully managing routine multitasking, employees can refine their judgment about information: If you said "alleviate" or "improve" instead of "refine", it would mean that employees didn't have good judgment. By saying "refine," you simply suggest that employees will have even more precise judgment.
  

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom consists of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. When you say 영국, it means the United Kingdom, not England.

The proper adjective from of the United Kingdom therefore is either "U.K." or "British", not "English." Take a look at the following examples:

• the British government/the U.K. government (o)
• British English (o)
  
• the British Parliament/the U.K. Parliament (o)
• a British scientist (o)

• an English scientist (x, unless you are emphasizing the fact that this person is from England)
  
• the English government (x)
• the English Parliament (x)
  

cumulative vs. accumulative

Cumulative and accumulative are almost synonymous, but there is a subtle difference.

Cumulative means resulting from accumulation, growing by successive addition, 누적, 누계 in Korean. Statistical indexes are mostly called "cumulative something." So for 누적률, say "cumulative rate," not "accumulative rate" or "accumulated rate."

• Over the last decade, workers have received a cumulative wage increase of 14 percent: 지난 10년간 노동자들의 누적임금상승률은 14%이다.
• To qualify for this program, applicants must have a cumulative grade point average (gpa) of 3.5 or higher: 이 프로그램에 지원하려면 전체 평점이 3.5 이상이어야 한다.
• In “The Collapse of Complex Societies”, Mr. Tainter examines three ancient civilizations, including the Roman Empire, and explains how complexity drove them to ruin, essentially by bankrupting them. Does he look at the complexity of the problems facing the United States and see doom? Possibly.“Complexity creeps up on you,” he said in an interview. “It grows in ways, each of which seems reasonable at the time. It seemed reasonable at the time that we went into Afghanistan. It’s the cumulative costs that makes a society insolvent. Everything the Roman emperors did was a reasonable response in the situation that they found themselves in. It was the cumulative impact that did them in.” (New York Times, April 30, 2010)

Accumulative means growing in size or effect, 늘어나는, 커져가는, 축적되는 in Korean. Note that an accumulative AAA implies a sum of AAA, whereas a cumulative AAA usually suggests that you are looking at an increase in AAA over time. For example, when you calculate a cumulative gpa, you don't just add up your grade points from all semesters. You look at the overall average. Take a look at the following examples:

• Accumulated depreciation means the total amount of depreciation that has been recorded for an asset since its date of acquisition: 감가상각총액이란 자산 취득 이후 감소한 자산 가치의 총계를 의미한다.
• Dubai-based investment bank Shuaa Capital PSC said its shareholders approved a proposal to set off accumulated losses against excess statutory reserves (Wall Street Journal, April 18, 2010) : 두바이의 수아 캐피탈 PSC는 법정 준비금을 사용하여 총 누적 손실액을 상쇄하고자 하는 제안을 주주들이 승인하였다고 밝혔다.
  

charge vs. accuse

A common point of confusion: to charge vs. to accuse

To "charge someone with something" means to make a formal claims of wrongdoing against someone, 기소하다 in Korean.

• The police charged him with arson but he adamantly claimed innocence: 경찰은 그를 방화 혐의로 기소하였으나 그는 자신의 결백을 단호하게 주장하였다

To "accuse someone of something" means to allege or blame someone for doing something, 비난하다, 혐의를 제기하다 in Korean. It usually implies that there is not enough hard evidence to substantiate the accusation yet, or that the accusation is not made in a legal or official form.

• Currently on a publicity tour of the UK, Bhutto has given talks to packed houses hosted by luminaries such as Henry Porter, the London editor of Vanity Fair. In India, her book is topping the non-fiction bestseller list. But back in Pakistan, Songs of Blood and Sword has stirred an angry reaction from critics, including several relatives, who accuse her of twisting history to make unsubstantiated allegations that slur the memory of her aunt Benazir, who was assassinated in December 2007. (Guardian, April 29, 2010)
  

Seoul vs. South Korea

As you know, in English writing, capital cities represent their respective countries. For example, instead of saying "the United States decided to do something," you can say "Washington decided to do something."

However, make sure to use a country's capital only when the national government is doing something on behalf of the entire nation. Otherwise, your sentence could be misunderstood as concerning the city government or the capital city itself. Take a look at the following examples.

미국의 지적자본이 경쟁국들의 지적자본보다 뒤쳐짐에 따라 우리의 명성이 위험에 처해있다.

• As Washington's intellectual capital lags behind that of its competitors, our prominence is at risk (x): You are not talking about the intellectual capital of federal government officials or the city of Washington, D.C.
  
• As America's intellectual capital lags behind that of its competitors, our prominence is at risk (o) (Wall Street Journal, June 20, 2009)

영국의 한 저명한 기후과학자는 영국 정부의 기후 변화 정책이 위험할 정도로 낙관적이라고 경고하였다.

• A leading UK climate scientist warned that the UK government's climate change policies are dangerously optimistic (o) (Guardian, June 23, 2009)
• A leading UK climate scientist warned that London's climate change policies are dangerously optimistic (x): London here could mean either the city government of London or the UK government, depending on the context.