Discussion Post #6
David Kim
30262888
david.kim123@richmond.edu
Hangul is a unique Korean alphabet created and distributed by King Sejong, the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty, under the name of Hunminjeongeum. Joseon used to borrow and use Chinese characters as letters, so accurate information records and communication were impossible. Hangeul was created because of these problems. However, the Korean language itself has a much longer history. The Korean language belongs to the northern Asian language family known as Altaic. It includes Turkish, Mongolian, and Japanese, suggesting early Northern migrations. Now Korean has several regional dialects despite the standard Seoul dialect. The regional dialects in South Korea are Kyongsang, Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Jeju Island. Some of the dialects are difficult to understand with standard dialects. For example, Korean dramas or movies with Jeju Island dialect have Korean subtitles because the word choice and expressions feel like an entirely different language. Modern Korean is still influenced by China over centuries. Almost half the Korean vocabulary consists of words derived from Chinese, mainly through Confucian characters. Sometimes Koreans use a hybrid writing system in which words derived from Chinese are written with Chinese characters, while Korean words are written in hangul. Despite influence and word borrowing, Korean is completely distinct from Chinese, in sound and in sentence structure.
Comments
I am surprised by your thorough explanation of how the Korean language has been influenced over time. I personally love reading history and therefore I would also love to know the history behind Hangul. As a Chinese, I can also feel how much the Korean language and culture shape the modern communication environment. They are mutual and I hope both sides can appreciate those influences.