Hangul

Hangul (Korean: 한글) is the native alphabet of the Korean language.

History

Hangul is very unique for the documentation of its creation, as well as its intentional design. The script was created by king Sejong (세종) in the year 1443, when Korean was written only in Hanja (Chinese characters). Chinese was ill-fit for Korean writing due to different grammar and phonetics, and the complexity made literacy a privilege only the elite enjoyed. Thus, Sejong set out to develop a Korean script for the Korean people:

[Because] the spoken language of this country is different from that of China, it does not flow well with [Chinese] characters. Therefore, even if the ignorant want to communicate, many of them in the end cannot state their concerns. Saddened by this, I have [had] 28 letters newly made. It is my wish that all the people may easily learn these letters and that [they] be convenient for daily use.

Alphabet

ㅅ (siot)

Pronounced as a softer [s] at the beginning of a syllable, and [t] syllable-terminally. Before semivowels and [i] it is pronounced [ɕ].

Vocabulary

초성

onset/initial consonant jamo

중성

medial vowel jamo

종성

final/terminal/coda consonant jamo

• Synonym: 받침

Phonoloy

See also: Korean phonology

The pronunciation of a given Hangeul string is usually unsurprising, but there are a few odd rules to watch out for. These rules make things way easier to pronounce quickly. }:)

References

• [cite:@gugribgugeoweon]