Korean Job Discussion Forums

Holyjoe · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Location: Away for a cuppa

This is by no means a scientific test or anything, but a quick look in the dictionary reveals that most words with the opening letters "Ko-" are 'borrowed' words into the English language...

koala, Kochel number, Kodak, Koh-i-noor, kohl, kohlrabi, kola, kilinsky, kolkhoz, koodoo, kook, kookaburra, kooky, kopeck, Koran, Korea, Korean, kosher, koumiss, kowtow
(there's possibly more, as someone with a bigger dictionary can no doubt point out)

Yet consider other words with the exact same opening sound and you'll find them in the C section of your dictionary.

Curious... Smile

(but then English is full of anomalies...)

mokpochica · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Location: Ann Arbor, MI

I use Korea (in English) because I think it looks better. I use Corea in Spanish though. I don't really think it's a big deal how it is spelled. I've seen a few students write Corea, but very few. Anyway, it's not a big deal to me if they use Corea as long as they are aware of the other spelling. I don't feel like getting into a discussion with them about it because, to me it seems pretty trivial.

Anyway, the name came from the 'Koryo' (Koguryo) dynasty and foreigners who thought that Koryo was pronounced like Korea. Maybe they used to write Koryo as Coryo, but I've never seen it.

gang ah jee · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: city of paper

new zillun

Leslie Cheswyck · Joined: 31 May 2003 Location: University of Western Chile

How about 'GOREA'?

mack the knife · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: standing right behind you...

Tejas, Occupied Mexico, Gringolandia

Chillin' Villain · Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Location: Goo Row

To uphold a little of the world's respect, it should just be kept as it is...

Even if (IF) all that historical stuff is accurate, what do you think the average response of the typical world citizen would be to a sudden new spelling of Korea everywhere?

-"Oh, that must have been so painful, enduring years of having your name spelled with a K!"

OR

-"Huh? Because of some dictionary thing? Gosh, seems kinda petty to me..."

I guess I can understand the feelings behind the whole colonization thing, but dredging up an old spelling over some dictionary battle 60-something years after the fact is a little too much.

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

bucheon bum · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

With a C just looks weird. Yes, I know its because I'm used to seeing Korea, but so is 99.9% of the English-speaking world.

The whole "Japan changed it because it wanted to come in front of K(C)orea alphabetically" thing is just some BS a nationalist Korean came up with. As Gord, said, Japan campaigned to get countries to call it Nippon during the Korean occupation. If it were really true, do you think Kim Il-Sung, the supposed guerilla leader of Korea (and anti-japanese as they come, at least according to him),would have kept the K after independence?? I seriously doubt it.

HardyandTiny · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

TaeHanMinGuk or MinGuk
are the only names that can replace the place name "Korea" in the English language.

But to ask a Korean person to change the word America in Hangul from "MiGook" to "USgook" would never happen and if you don't get it..well, good luck.

Corea is not English, it is the word for Korea in Latin based languages.

I'm putting my fan on high and I'm closing all the windows.

Homer · Guest

King of Kw,

I was simply trying to show Gordie that the debate on this name is real and that some people have some facts concerning it.
The first link was from a known advocate group in favor of changing back to the "C" so it has to be taken with a grain of salt.
The rest of the links showed opinions from people on this same topic.
I was not meant to be an academic demonstration of fact.
However, there is a enough evidence to support the claim that Korea was known as Corea before the eary 20th century and this is what I was trying to show Gordie. The fact that its spelled with a "C" in French, spanish and a few other languages is alson indicative.
The basis of ot all is quite simple: a country has the right, and this is quite basic, to spell their countries name however they please.
If Koreans for historical or cultural reasons want to go back the the "C" then its their basic right. the Korean government being a democracy all they have to do is run a referendum on the question and go with the majority. Thats just how it works.
As a foreigner you have no say in this. You can voice your opinion of course, that is your right but you have no right to tell Koreans or Coreans how to run their nation or for that matter name it.
As for the english world not liking the change well it really is not up to them is it? I don't see why people get all huffed up about it. the governments of the nations that form this "English world" have not protested or even opposed themselves to the potential change and it has been floated out to them to check their reactions.
In the end its the choice of Koreans thats all.

Now on to respond to Gordie,

a) Care to explain why you continally refer to "THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA" as "North Korea"?

I did not refer to it as that ever my little friend.

As for the english world not liking the change well it really is not up to them is it?

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

Homer · Guest

ahh gordie...read again pal...that was a thread on reunification buddy.
I was discussing the views of both sides of the Korean peninsula..
Never once refered to all of Korea as the Democratic Republic of korea, not in either of my posts in that thread.
Better luck next time.

Gord · Joined: 25 Feb 2003

mack the knife · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: standing right behind you...

POW!! SLAM!! KWAK!!

THE GLOVES ARE OFF!! BLOOD!! DRAMA!! SUSPENSE!!

HardyandTiny · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

The word will appear on a map as "Corea" because the maps were made by academics and it was mandatory to use Latin at that time. Latin was required, and even today in some instances it is still required in subjects.
It was never changed from Corea to Korea in English.
Are you going to change every single place name that was written in the Latin C back to C? Cawasawki?
The Koreans do not have any right AT ALL to change the English language and they can not do it! They would have to revert to their own words TaHanMiguk or MinGuk. They can not change the English word to Corea. You have no idea what you are talking about! Show me the precedent!

the reason why people get upset is because Korean history has nothing to do with the English or the Latin language. Just use your name as it is, TaeHanMinGuk, and stop trying to include another language into your illogical mess. Take your name as it is in your language, cowards.