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Greetings, language enthusiasts! Today, we’re going to talk about one of the most interesting writing systems in the world: Hangul!
This fascinating writing system has been praised for its innovative scientific design, simplicity, and overall elegance.
In this blog post, we will answer most of your frequently asked questions about the history, features, and importance of Hangul in Korean culture and language.
If you’re ready to learn more about this unique alphabet, let’s jump right in!
Table of Contents
What is Hangul?
Definition of Hangul (한글)
Hangul (한글), also known as the Korean alphabet, is the official writing system for the Korean language.
What countries use Hangul?
Hangul is the official writing system of both North and South Korea. It is known as Hangeul (한글) in South Korea and Chosongul (조선글) in North Korea.
Hangul is also used by Korean communities around the world.
What is the difference between Hangul and Chosongul?
Both Hangul and Chosongul refer to the same writing system used to represent the Korean language.
South Koreans call the alphabet Hangeul. North Koreans call the alphabet Chosongul (조선글), after “Choson”, the North Korean name for Korea, and “gul” which means script.
In terms of the alphabet itself, there is no difference between Hangul and Chosongul.
What is the English spelling for 한글? Hangul vs Hangeul
The English spelling for 한글 is “Hangul” or “Hangeul“.
“Hangul” is more widely used and recognized because it originates from McCune-Reischauer, the earlier system used for Korean romanization.
However, in July 2000, South Korea implemented a new romanization system, the Revised Romanization of Korean, and the spelling was altered to “Hangeul“, which is a more accurate representation of the Korean sounds that make up the word 한글.
The new system was developed by the National Academy of the Korean Language and released by South Korea’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Both spellings are commonly used and still considered correct.
What did Korea use before Hangul?
The fact that Hangul was designed exclusively for the Korean language is one of its intriguing features.
Before the creation of Hangul, Korea had no writing system of its own. Korean was typically written using Hanja 한자 (Chinese characters), which did not accurately represent the sounds of the Korean language, were difficult to learn and use, and were only accessible to the educated elite.
As a result, many Koreans were unable to read or write. This created a significant barrier to education and literacy for the general population.
Who invented Hangul?
In the 15th century, Sejong of Joseon, widely known as King Sejong the Great, the fourth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, invented Hangul.
Why was Hangul created?
King Sejong recognized the importance of having a writing system that was accessible to all Koreans, not just the privileged few.
So he commissioned a group of scholars to create a new writing system that was simple, logical, and easy to learn and use.
In 1443, Hangul was created and in 1446, the system was made the official writing system for the Korean language.
Hangul’s creation made it possible for ordinary people to learn how to read and write Korean, and it played a significant role in increasing literacy rates in Korea.
What is Hunminjeongeum? (훈민정음)
Hunminjeongeum (also known as Hunminjeongum or 훈민정음 in Korean) translates to “Proper/Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People”.
Hunminjeongeum is a preface written by King Sejong himself, explaining the need for a new writing system that would be accessible to all, and a detailed description of the Hangul script, including the letters and their corresponding sounds. The document was published in 1446.
Before the Korean Alphabet was called Hangul or Hangeul, it was originally named after the publication Hunminjeongeum, but later came to be known as Hangeul.
The name Hangeul (한글) was coined by Korean linguist Ju Si-gyeong (주시경) in 1912, one of the founders of modern Korean Linguistics.
What does Hangul mean in Korean?
The word “Hangeul” itself is composed of two Korean words: “han” (한) which means “great” or “large,” and “geul” (글) which means “script” or “writing.” Therefore, Hangul can be translated as “great script” or “great writing.”
How many letters does Hangul have?
Basic Letters
Hangul comprises 24 basic letters. These include 14 consonants:ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ and ㅎ, as well as 10 vowels:ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ andㅣ.
Complex Letters
In addition to these 24 basic letters, there are also complex letters that are made up of combinations of two or more of the basic consonants or vowels.
There are 16 main complex letters in Hangul. These include 5 double consonants (ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ) and 11 double vowels also known as vowel combinations (ㅐ ㅔ ㅒ ㅖ ㅘ ㅙ ㅚ ㅝ ㅞ ㅟ ㅢ).
Complex letters are used to represent sounds that are not present in the basic letters.
For example, the complex letter “ㄲ” represents a double “k” which is a strong “k” sound, and the complex letter “ㅢ” represents a combination of “ui” which is an “ooee” sound.
What do the shapes in Hangul represent?
Consonants
The shapes of the consonants are designed to reflect the shape of the speaker’s mouth when pronouncing each sound.
Vowels
The basic vowels in Hangul consist of lines and points that represent the Sky (Yang), the Earth (Yin), and Human.
Why is Hangul unique?
Hangul is unique in that it is a phonetic writing system, meaning that each symbol represents a sound. This is in contrast to other writing systems, such as Chinese characters (Hanja 한자), which represent ideas or concepts.
This makes Hangul easier to learn than some other writing systems, as it allows people to write words as they hear them.
Why is Hangul scientific?
The design of Hangul has been praised for its scientific and logical nature. As mentioned, each letter, represents a single sound, and these sounds can be combined to form syllables.
The letters are arranged into square blocks, in a specific way to show the order in which the sounds are pronounced. Each block represents one syllable, making it easy to visually recognize and read words.
| LEARN MORE ABOUT HANGUL LETTERS AND PRONUNCIATION HERE
What is Hangul Day?
Hangeul Day, also known as Hangul Day or Korean Alphabet Day, is a national Korean holiday commemorating the creation and proclamation of Hangeul (한글).
When is Hangul Day?
Hangul Day is celebrated annually as Hangeul Proclamation Day or Hangeul Day (한글날) in South Korea on October 9, and Chosŏn’gŭl Day (조선글날) in North Korea on January 15.
On Hangul Day, various events and activities are held throughout South Korea to celebrate the significance of Hangul in Korean culture and history.
This includes exhibitions, performances, and educational programs that showcase the beauty and importance of the Korean language and writing system.
| HOW TO CELEBRATE HANGUL DAY
Is Hangul and Korean the same?
No, Hangul and Korean are not the same thing, but they are closely related.
Hangul is the Korean writing system (alphabetic script), which consists of consonants and vowels that represent sounds.
Korean, on the other hand, is the language (words and sentences) that is written using the Hangul writing system.
Why is Hangul easy to learn?
Hangul is easy to learn due to its highly phonetic nature, simple design, logical arrangement, ease of writing, and focus on accessibility, which have contributed to its widespread adoption as the primary writing system for the Korean language.
Once someone has learned the symbols and their corresponding sounds, they can easily read and write in Korean.
The Invention of Hangul Preserved the Korean Language
Overall, Hangul is a fascinating writing system that was a revolutionary development in Korean history as it helped to democratize literacy and education.
It also helped to preserve the Korean language, as it allowed Koreans to write in their own language rather than having to use a foreign system.
Whether you are a language learner or just interested in linguistics, it’s definitely worth taking the time to learn more about Hangul and how it works.
