Discussion Post #6

[Isaac Choe]

Korean as a language sits in a unique (and oft-debated) position. Korean belongs to the Koreanic language family, with some classifying it as an Altiac language. Though I’m not entirely sure if it constitutes as an Altaic language, I do see its relationship with Mongolic languages, particularly due to Mongol influence in what I believe is the 13th and 14th centuries. Going further back in history, we can trace Korean genealogy to Siberia, making consideration of a relationship with Tungustic languages necessary as well. In my opinion, however, these classifications are not too important so long as we acknowledge Korean’s history. These historical considerations enhance our understanding of the Korean language and culture by providing insights into their origins, development, and contemporary usage. For example, the extensive influence of Chinese on Korean vocabulary and grammar is still evident today, and understanding this influence can aid in learning and using the language, such as understanding Hanja. Similarly, the impact of Japanese on Korean culture and language during the colonial period is an important historical context for contemporary relations between the two countries. Modern Korean has been shaped by both internal changes and external influences, such as the impact of Western languages and the Japanese occupation of Korea–– its fascinating seeing the evolution of a language occur in real-time, and piques me to consider the future of Korean in an ever-globalizing world. Relatively speaking, Korean is not a majorly spoken language, so seeing this language persist among its much larger and historically more powerful neighbors is great to reflect on.