Overview
This lecture introduces the basics of the Korean language, its alphabet (Hangul), and pronunciation, focusing on vowels, consonants, and basic spelling rules for beginners.
Introduction to Korean Language
- Korean is the official language of South Korea and North Korea, with over 80 million native speakers.
- Korean ranks 15th in the world by number of native speakers, above French and German.
- Korean is a language isolate, meaning it is not proven to be related to any other language family.
Korean Alphabet (Hangul)
- Hangul is the official writing system in both South and North Korea.
- Hangul was created in 1443 by King Sejong the Great to increase literacy among common people.
- Unlike Chinese characters (which represent meaning), Hangul represents sounds like the English or Estonian alphabets.
Differences with Other Languages
- Chinese characters are meaning-based; pronunciation changes by language.
- Japanese uses both Chinese characters and hiragana (Japanese alphabet).
- Hangul is a fully phonetic alphabet, making it easier to learn to read and write.
Korean Vowels
- There are 10 basic vowels: 아 (a), 야 (ya), 어 (eo), 여 (yeo), 오 (o), 요 (yo), 우 (u), 유 (yu), 으 (eu), 이 (i).
- Vowel shapes and added bars create related sounds (e.g., adding a bar for the "y" sound).
- Compound vowels are formed by combining basic vowels (e.g., 애, 에, 얘, 예, 외, 왜, 위).
- Some vowel distinctions (e.g., 애 vs. 에) are fading in modern Korean pronunciation.
Korean Consonants
- Consonants need vowels for pronunciation and are often paired with a placeholder circle (ㅇ) when starting a syllable.
- Examples of consonants: ㄱ (g/k), ㄲ (gg), ㄴ (n), ㄷ (d/t), ㄸ (dd), ㄹ (r/l), ㅁ (m), ㅂ (b/p), ㅃ (bb), ㅅ (s), ㅆ (ss).
- ㅇ is silent at the start of a syllable but sounds like "ng" at the end.
- Double consonants indicate a stronger sound.
Syllable Structure & Spelling Rules
- A syllable block is usually made of an initial consonant + vowel, with an optional final consonant.
- If a syllable starts with a vowel, use the circle ㅇ as a placeholder.
- Some consonants (like ㄹ) can be pronounced "r" or "l" depending on position.
Basic Grammar
- Korean sentence structure is Subject-Object-Verb (SOV), while English uses Subject-Verb-Object (SVO).
- Korean uses postpositions, similar to grammatical cases in Estonian, to mark subject, object, etc.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Hangul — The Korean alphabet, created in 1443, phonetic and logical.
- Vowel (모음) — Basic speech sound; 10 in Korean.
- Consonant (자음) — Speech sound combined with vowels; needs a vowel for pronunciation.
- Language isolate — A language with no proven relatives.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice basic vowels and consonants with the provided audio file.
- Print the provided Hangul practice sheets and write your name in Hangul.
- Watch the next video for further learning.