I’ve been asked if the Korean language is difficult to learn.
Yes and no.
That’s a straightforward answer from me, a relatively new student of the Korean
language.
Yes, it is
hard to learn. First, you have to familiarize yourself with Hangeul, the Korean
alphabet system. Then you have to know how to write each letter (jamo) properly. Next, you
have to memorize the sound that represents each character. It’s like decoding a
series of codes. If you’re someone who likes to solve puzzles and untangling
riddles and clues, then connecting the characters will be easy for you. In any
field of study, there is a learning curve before one can be called an expert. Keep
that in mind as you patiently journey with studying the characters.
On the
other hand, it is not difficult to learn once you get the hang of it,
especially when you become at home with the letters. As in any language, the
secret lies in reading and enriching your vocabulary. Set a goal per day. For
instance, memorizing one new Korean word a day (written in Hangeul) would be a
good way to start. Another huge advantage of Hangeul is that it’s phonetic. There
is no hidden sound that you have not known before in the English system. Unlike
in Chinese, each Korean word or letter block is pronounced without tones.
Hangeul
If it’s any
consolation, there are only 24 letters in the Korean alphabet, two letters
short of the English counterpart. Compared to the languages of its East Asian neighbors,
China and Japan, Korea’s Hangeul will not leave you with thousands of characters
to memorize. The 24 letters include the 14 consonants and the 10 vowels.
The fourth
king of the Chosŏn dynasty, King Sejong, developed the Hangeul alphabet. The letter
system became the official writing system for the Korean language in 1446 under
his decree. It was only after 1945 when Hangeul was used mainstream because
previous Korean elites were highly influenced by Chinese and Japanese language
systems. (Britannica.com)
Konglish
While studying Korean, I learned that there are English words incorporated into their language. I spelled in Hangeul words such as coffee, coffee shop, cinema, camera, bus, juice, mask, television, computer, etc. Konglish (Korean + English) is commonly used. Same as in Taglish (Tagalog + English) for the Filipino language. Hybrid words are not rare occurrences in any languages, I think.
What I also
notice as I study Korean is its high emphasis on courtesy in conversations,
whether written or spoken. The verb conjugation would depend on who you speak
to or who you are addressing, in the case of written materials. The first level
of conjugation begins with the “informal high” politeness/tense level. The formal
versions that end in “imnida” or “sumnida” will be useful in job interviews, presentations,
or newscasts. But for day-to-day interactions, it’s usually the “yo” form (like
the very familiar, annyeonghaseyo, or how are you).
Sources for the Korean Language
With hallyu (Korean pop culture wave) permeating almost every country in the world, it is easy to find resource materials to learn Korean.
One of the
helpful free sites for language learners is Duolingo. It tracks your
progress and inspires you as you climb up the charts against the other
learners. Some international universities and colleges accept the Duolingo test
as proof of proficiency.
In my case,
I sought the help of a Korean language teacher and I study online twice a week.
I used to do it thrice a week but our schedules became a bit tight. It helps
that aside from the reading materials, practicing through actual conversations
contributes to your progress.
Why study Korean?
There are
various reasons according to one’s goals. As for me, I decided to study Korean
because I am a lover of language. I studied French and Spanish. So I thought to
myself that it would be good to learn another Asian language apart from mine.
Coincidentally, I’m swept by hallyu, particularly by the K-drama fever. That
gave me further drive to study Korean. Another reason is that I’m planning to
go to South Korea after the pandemic to finish the sequel to my second book, Life in Lockdown: I Caught the K-Fever (The First Wave). It would be truly
beneficial if I know how to talk to the locals as I traverse its cherry blossom-adorned
roads.
I don’t
intend to take TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean). Not yet. I’m not aiming to
use my knowledge of Korean for a far serious objective, like work. But who
knows, soon I might take TOPIK, too.
I’m far
from being a fluent Korean speaker. But I can go beyond saying “oppa,” and “kimchi.”
I can understand and utter simple sentences now. It takes a lot of dedication
to be called an expert in this language especially for a foreigner like me. My progress
in speaking and writing levels is up to me. I keep thinking: “No pressure. Just
enjoy the ride.” After all, 나는 거기에 일거예요 (“I will get there”).
Did you know?
·
The direction of Korean writing until the 1980s was usually from right
to left in vertical columns. Since then writing from left to right in
horizontal lines has become popular, and today the majority of texts are
written horizontally.
·
Number of letter: 24 (jamo): 14 consonants
and 10 vowels. The letters are combined together into syllable blocks. For
example, Hangeul is written: 한 (han) = ᄒ (h) + ᅡ (a) + ᄂ (n) and 글 (geul) = ᄀ (g) + ᅳ (eu) + ᄅ (l)
· The shapes of the vowels are based on three elements: man (a vertical line), earth (a horizontal line), and heaven (a dot). In modern Hangeul, the heavenly dot has mutated into a short line.
Sources: Britannica.com,
Omniglot.com
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