Overview
This lecture series provides a comprehensive introduction to Hangul, the Korean alphabet, covering its history, structure, the full set of consonants and vowels, syllable blocks, pronunciation rules, and essential sound change rules for reading and writing Korean.
Introduction to Hangul
- Hangul is the Korean alphabet, created in the 1400s by King Sejong.
- Before Hangul, Koreans used Chinese characters, making literacy difficult.
- Hangul is an alphabet with 24 basic letters (consonants and vowels).
- Learning Hangul is essential for mastering Korean grammar and pronunciation.
Basic Structure and Writing
- Hangul consists of consonants (non-vowels) and vowels (A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y).
- Syllables are written in blocks made from at least one consonant and one vowel.
- Correct stroke order is important for writing letters accurately.
Consonants and Vowels
- Initial consonants introduced: ㄱ (g/k), ㄴ (n), ㄷ (d/t), ㅁ (m), ㅂ (b/p), ㅅ (s), ㅈ (j/ch), ㅎ (h), ㄹ (r/l), ㅇ (ng/empty).
- Vowels introduced: ㅏ (a), ㅗ (o), ㅜ (u), ㅡ (eu), ㅣ (i), ㅓ (eo), ㅐ (ae), ㅔ (e), ㅑ (ya), ㅒ (yae), ㅕ (yeo), ㅛ (yo), ㅠ (yu), ㅖ (ye).
- Double consonants and strong consonants are also used and affect pronunciation.
Syllable Block Types
- Two-letter blocks: CV (consonant + vertical vowel), CV (consonant + horizontal vowel).
- Three-letter blocks: CVC (final consonant added).
- Four-letter blocks: used for syllables with two consonants at the bottom.
Pronunciation and Sound Change Rules
- Some consonants change sound depending on their position in a syllable block.
- Double consonants are tensed versions of regular consonants.
- Strong consonants require more force than regular or double consonants.
- Sound change rules help with fluid pronunciation (e.g., bottom consonants, nasalization, blending sounds).
- Some consonant-vowel combinations result in different sounds (e.g., ㅅ + ㅣ = "shi").
- Some rules make certain consonants pronounced as ‘t’ at the end of syllables.
Dipthongs & Advanced Vowels
- Diphthongs are combinations of two vowels in one symbol (e.g., 와, 왜, 위, 외, 웨).
- Blend vowels as you pronounce them quickly to form diphthongs.
Common Sound Change Rules
- When a base consonant is followed by another base consonant, the second becomes a double consonant.
- ㅎ (h) affects neighboring consonants, turning them into strong consonants.
- Some rules change consonant pronunciation before or after nasal consonants or ㅇ (ng).
- Special rules apply when ㄹ (r/l) combines with others, often becoming double or non-pronounced.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Hangul — the Korean alphabet system.
- Consonant — a letter representing a speech sound other than a vowel.
- Vowel — a letter representing vocalic sounds.
- Syllable block — a unit combining consonants and vowels to form a readable block.
- Double consonant — tensed form of a consonant (e.g., ㄲ, ㄸ).
- Strong consonant — consonant pronounced with extra force.
- Sound change rule — pronunciation adjustment based on letter position/context.
- Diphthong — a combination of two vowel sounds in the same syllable.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice writing and reading each letter and syllable block.
- Memorize all consonants, vowels, and their stroke order.
- Apply sound change rules while reading Korean words.
- Practice making and reading syllables with double/strong consonants and diphthongs.
- Review the pronunciation of four-letter syllable blocks.
- Set personal language learning goals and consider finding a practice partner.