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Gollywog
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Location: Debussy's brain
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 Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:18 am Post subject: Linguistics Scholar Seeks to Globalize Korean Alphabet??? |
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That's the headline from the KT.
Sounds good, eh? Add some letters so you can actually spell words from other languages in Korea! What an idea!
Wrong.
Nothin wrong with Hangeul. No siree!
It's so good, this guy wants to teach the rest of the world to use Hangeul to write things in their language.
| Quote: |
By Michael Ha
Staff Reporter
A group of Korean linguistics scholars are making a concerted effort to help globalize the Korean alphabet.
``We've found that there is a great deal of interest in learning about the Korean writing system," said Chun Tai-hyun, professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and vice president of the academic group, the Hunminjeonguem Society. Seoul National University (SNU) Professor Kim Ju-won serves as president of the group.
Professor Chun explained, ``For instance, when we visited Bau-bau, a city in Buton Island, Indonesia, we realized that the indigenous communities in the region ― communities without their own writing system ― were very receptive to learning the Korean alphabet."
He noted the Korean alphabet could easily be used in conjunction with the local spoken language and that it can actually be used to help preserve and record the indigenous culture and language.
``In Indonesia, ethnic minority communities are losing their own spoken languages. We realized that the Korean alphabet could actually help preserve these endangered local languages."
Chun said, ``In December or January, representatives from Bau-bau will visit us in Korea and learn our writing system. They will then return to Indonesia to teach the Korean writing system in their communities."
The Korean alphabet was created by King Sejong the Great, the fourth monarch of the Joseon Kingdom, in 1443. Hunminjeonguem is the original name of the Korean alphabet, meaning ``proper sounds to instruct the people." It was later renamed ``Hangeul," literally meaning ``the Korean alphabet," during the 20th century.
South Koreans celebrate Oct. 9 as Hangeul Day to commemorate the invention of the national writing system. Perhaps, the best-known trait of this alphabet is its simplicity and ease of use. The current 24-letter alphabet was recognized as a ``Memory of the World" by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1997.
The society held its inaugural international conference on the topic at SNU on Oct. 9-10. The group was founded last year to help promote the Korean letters in the international community. One particular goal for the group is to introduce the alphabet system to ethnic minority communities around the world that lack indigenous writing systems to express their spoken languages |
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2008/10/178_32754.html
Yup. The world's just breaking down the door to come to Korea to learn Hangeul. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:37 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah, most languages could easily dispense with R, V, F, Q, and Z sounding words and adding extra vowels between double and triple consonant sounds wouldn't make any difference. |
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Korussian
Joined: 15 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:57 am Post subject: |
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| That's why it sounds so natural when Koreans speak foreign languages - there's no learning curve for the sounds. |
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Whistleblower
Joined: 03 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:34 am Post subject: |
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| Then everyone would know Konglish. So much better for business. |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 3:57 am Post subject: |
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| It's naive to accuse Korean of not being capable of producing every possible sound, and ignoring the fact that English and every other language lacks the symbol or ability to produce numerous sounds as well. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:36 am Post subject: |
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| It's also the way the syllables are arranged here. A ton of open syllables (not as much as Japanese or Mandarin, but a lot) and no consonant clusters. Also not nearly enough phonemes. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:40 am Post subject: |
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| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
| It's naive to accuse Korean of not being capable of producing every possible sound, and ignoring the fact that English and every other language lacks the symbol or ability to produce numerous sounds as well. |
The difference is that linguists from other countries realize this and don't try to push the script of their language as being the perfect writing script that the rest of the world should adopt. Our delusional Korean friends seem to be the only group of linguists who don't grasp this. |
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Korussian
Joined: 15 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:42 am Post subject: |
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| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
| It's naive to accuse Korean of not being capable of producing every possible sound, and ignoring the fact that English and every other language lacks the symbol or ability to produce numerous sounds as well. |
That's a very good point. But, unlike Korean speakers, English speakers tend to absorb rather than replace foreign sounds with unintelligible counterparts.
Sure, that doesn't mean we can produce all sounds from all languages - only that we try to get as close as possible while studying them. Many Korean learners assume that every sound has an analogue in Hangul, and assign it one even if it doesn't.
If you disagree, we can discuss it over pija after visiting the hwitness club. |
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Gollywog
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Location: Debussy's brain
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:42 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| It's also the way the syllables are arranged here. A ton of open syllables (not as much as Japanese or Mandarin, but a lot) and no consonant clusters. Also not nearly enough phonemes |
Would it be too much to ask you to speak English?
What's an "open syllable"?
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It's naive to accuse Korean of not being capable of producing every possible sound |
Why?
The kids I'm working with can't produce lots of sounds. They can't even hear the difference between lots of sounds represented by distinct letters in English. For many, "th" is a complete mystery. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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wings
Joined: 09 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:47 am Post subject: IPA? |
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The international phonetic alphabet has a symbol for every sound that is made in every known language. So why on earth would anyone try to use Hanguel to write any language except for Korean?
Hanguel is a very good system-for writing Korean. It should keep it�s day job. |
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Korussian
Joined: 15 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:48 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| What's an "open syllable"? |
This page covers closed and open syllables very well. I found it was the first match when I googled it. |
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Gollywog
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Location: Debussy's brain
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:54 am Post subject: |
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I know how to use google.
Explain to me what an "open syllable" has to do with what we're talking about, namely alphabets. I am afraid I don't see the relevance to whether Hangeul can be used to write down other languages. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:57 am Post subject: |
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| We're also talking about sound systems, and the grouping of syllables. |
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i4NI
Joined: 17 May 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:07 am Post subject: |
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| Korean alphabet doesn't represent enough sounds, pretty stupid idea. |
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