Korean language: Difference between revisions
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imported>John Stephenson (some new info and ref. on speakers; Hanja) |
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'''Korean''' ([[South Korea | '''Korean''' ([[South Korea]]: <span style="font-family: Batang, Serif">한국어</span>, ''Han-guk-o''; [[North Korea]]: <span style="font-family: Batang, Serif">조선말</span>, ''Jo-son-mal'') is the [[language (general)|language]] of the two [[Korea]]s and many communities around the world. Korean has about 72 million speakers.<ref>Sohn (1999/2001: 4).</ref> | ||
<span style="font-family: Batang, Serif">한국어</span>, ''Han-guk-o''; [[North Korea | |||
Korean's relationship to other languages is yet to be precisely determined. Studies of [[vocabulary]] and [[grammar]] have tried to link | ==Writing system== | ||
Korean is [[writing system|written]] in the unique ''[[Hangeul]]'' [[alphabet]], with some use of [[Chinese characters|Chinese-derived]] ''[[Hanja]]'' characters in South Korea. ''Hangeul'' symbols are [[letter (alphabet)|letters]], representing [[phoneme]]s, but they are arranged into groups of [[syllable]]s, so the [[written language]] incorporates elements of both an alphabet and a [[syllabary]]. | |||
==Language family== | |||
Korean's relationship to other languages is yet to be precisely determined. Studies of [[vocabulary]] and [[grammar]] have tried to link it to the [[Altaic languages]], a [[language family|family]] which include [[Turkish language|Turkish]] and various others across [[Asia]]. Structural similarities with [[Japanese language|Japanese]] have also been highlighted, though the words and [[phonology|sound system]] are very different. A link with Japanese persists as a hypothesis partly because the [[Japanese people|Japanese]] and [[Korean people|Korean]] peoples share deep [[culture|cultural]] roots. A final view is that Korean has no relationship to any other surviving language; it is an ''[[language isolate|isolate]]'', with its nearest relatives long-dead. | |||
==Footnotes== | ==Footnotes== | ||
{{reflist|2}} | {{reflist|2}} | ||
Latest revision as of 22:31, 12 November 2011
Korean (South Korea: 한국어, Han-guk-o; North Korea: 조선말, Jo-son-mal) is the language of the two Koreas and many communities around the world. Korean has about 72 million speakers.[1]
Writing system
Korean is written in the unique Hangeul alphabet, with some use of Chinese-derived Hanja characters in South Korea. Hangeul symbols are letters, representing phonemes, but they are arranged into groups of syllables, so the written language incorporates elements of both an alphabet and a syllabary.
Language family
Korean's relationship to other languages is yet to be precisely determined. Studies of vocabulary and grammar have tried to link it to the Altaic languages, a family which include Turkish and various others across Asia. Structural similarities with Japanese have also been highlighted, though the words and sound system are very different. A link with Japanese persists as a hypothesis partly because the Japanese and Korean peoples share deep cultural roots. A final view is that Korean has no relationship to any other surviving language; it is an isolate, with its nearest relatives long-dead.
Footnotes
- ↑ Sohn (1999/2001: 4).