For example, the word for bag, ‘gabang’(가방), uses the letters ㄱ ㅏ ㅂ ㅏ ㅇ.

When letters are combined, they are put into syllable blocks where you stack the letters next to and then below each other in a left to right manner. Although there are only 10 main vowels, those main vowels are combined to make 11 new different sounding vowels. Although a native English speaker might be able to visualize the phonetically correct way for a fortis consonant to be realized, their mouth may not want to cooperate.Ībove, in figure 3, are the vowels for the Korean alphabet. This makes it very difficult for native English speakers to realize this letter in the phonologically correct way. In English, we do not have these fortis consonants or anything very similar. These tense letters are not glottal in the sense that they are ejectives or implosives, but it is more of a clear-cut popping sound that is most similar to glottalized consonants (Yu Cho). The realizations with an * are the tense series (also called fortis consonants) is characterized by “laryngeal tension,” whose exact phonetic characterizations are quite complex (e.g., glottal opening, the stiffening of the vocal folds, tension of the pharynx and the walls of the vocal track, high oral pressure, and the heightened subglottal pressure). The Korean alphabet officially only has 24 letters there are 14 consonants (figure 2) and 10 vowels (figure 3). The first thing to discuss will be phonation contrasts in consonants. This makes reading Korean similar to reading a map of where your tongue should go and how your mouth should be shaped.

Here in Figure 1, you are able to see that the letters are meant to be a mirror or guide for what and where your tongue should be in your mouth. Even the creation of the individual letters in Korean was in a very intuitive way as to allow more people to become literate (figure 1) because of this, South Korea has one of the highest literacy rates. From this, he created a new 24 letter alphabet that he said, “A wise man can acquaint himself with them before the morning is over a stupid man can learn them in the space of ten days.”. For a long time, Korea’s official language was Chinese but in 1443 King Sejong was frustrated that his subjects were not able to express their concerns to him. Approximately 80 million people speak it worldwide. It is also one of the two official languages spoken of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture and Changbai Korean Autonomous County of China. In terms of spoken and written languages, Korean would be considered a baby. The official language of the Korean Peninsula is Hangul 한글 (the Korean language) which is 573 years old. This paper was written in conjunction with Kanvi Sharma. You can see this unique interaction in the way words and letters change and how they are realized depending on what case or tense mark ending is placed on them. Korean is a unique language because of its interaction of phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax. “Native Level” is defined as first/second generation speaking ability to understand current vernacular, colloquialisms, and terminology (Proficiency level of 4 required in speaking, reading, and writing).A Brief Linguistic Analysis of 한국어 (the Korean Language) The native language requirements are Korean at the Native Level. Provides accurate written gists, translations of transcripts, video and audio sources, from the target language to English and vice versa while preserving the original meaning and intent of the original source.ĭevises and advise new methods of target language research and exploitation of information and determine the most effective methods for presenting and disseminating the information. Perform as a language specialist at the native level providing accurate reading, writing, speaking skills, as well as provide cultural understanding regarding geopolitical, economic and social issues.

We are willing to prescreen personnel for these positions if you are interested. This is a future position that may come open but is not open at the present moment.

Maryland korean linguist