105 Learning Journal #3

[David Lee]

Some structural components of Korean that I will need to get familiar with are grammar and syntax. In any language, grammar and syntax is critical, and having that structure or foundation allows one to have a more fluent understanding of a certain language. Like English, Korean vocabularies can hold many different meanings depending on the context or syntax of the sentence. Although I may know what a particular word means, it might be expressed or utilized in a different manner when included in a sentence. As the article from last week (Crystal, D) mentions, syntax is about "the way sentences are constructed" while morphology is about "the way words are constructed." An identical word can mean different things, making it crucial to know the distinct understandings of syntax and morphology in Korean. When speaking or writing in Korean, I do have some sort of understanding of grammar and syntax because I go by a "feeling." While that gut feeling isn't the most reliable form of skill, it does lead me on the right track. To develop a more foundational and dependable understanding of Korean grammar and syntax, I believe that referring to grammar books online can help me with that.