Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Korean: Alphabet + Pronunciation
Contains a few questions about the alphabet.
49
Language - Korean
Not Applicable
01/23/2011

Additional Language - Korean Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
What is the name of the Korean alphabet?
Definition
Han'gul
Term
The Korean alphabet dates back to what century?
Definition
15th century
Term
T/F:  Korean may be written entirely with letters of the Han'gul alphabet only.
Definition
False.  Korean may also be written in what is known as 'mixed script', where words of Chinese origin may be written in Chinese characters.
Term
A large portion of Korean vocabulary was taken from what language?
Definition
Classical chinese.
Term
How many letters are in the Korean alphabet?  How many of these are consonant sounds?  How many are vowel/dipthong sounds?
Definition
There are 40 letters.  19 represent the consonants, while 21 represent the vowel and dipthong sounds.
Term
Definition
a as in father
Term
Definition
Ya as in yacht
Term
Definition

Short o (sounds like uh), as in mother, or cu

t

Term
Definition
Yo, as in young,
Term
Definition
Long o, as in awkward, or oh, or order
Term
Definition
Yo as in yawn, or yo-yo, or Yoda
Term
Definition
Long u, as in buoy, or Luke
Term
Definition
Yu, as in Yukon
Term
Definition
Short u, or oo sound, as in good, or book, or le chateau
Term
Definition
i, as in beet, or easy
Term
Definition

ae, as in at, add.

 

This sound may sometimes sound like a cross between a and eh

Term
Definition

Yae, as in yak, or yam

 

The vowel in this may sound like a cross between a, and eh

Term
Definition
e, as in bet, or editor
Term
Definition
Ye, as in yet
Term
Definition
wa, as in wander
Term
Definition

wae, as in wangle, or wagon, wet

 

The vowel in this sound may sound like a cross between a and eh

 

Way, Wehh, Way-eh

Term
Definition

we, as in west

 

A dry, weh.  Almost a cross between wehh, and wihh.

 

This is usually pronounced like the German umlaut vowel (oe), but it is generally pronounced as (we), not usually distinguishable from the sound of the dipthong 웨

Term
Definition
wo (short o), as in wonder, or one
Term
Definition
we as in west
Term
Definition
wi, as in wiener, we, or oui,
Term
Definition

ui, as in buoy

 

Sounds like, oo-ee said together.

 

In most words, this letter is pronounced as if it were either 이 or 으, or in the case of a certain grammatical element, e

Term
Definition

기역 (kiyok)

 

K/g as in kin, or begin

 

A soft k, but a harder g.

Term
Definition

니은 (niun)

 

n as in now

Term
Definition

디귿 (tigut)

 

t/d, as in tidy

 

Sometimes sounds like a soft t sound.

Term
Definition

리을 (riul)

 

r/l, as in attitude, or leaf

 

The sound is a cross between an r/l

 

Depending on the word, this character may also make the tt sound, like in butter

Term
Definition

미음 (mium)

 

m, as in me

Term
Definition

비읍 (biup)

 

p/b public

 

More of a b sound than a p sound.

Term
Definition

시옷 (shiot)

 

s/sh as in sun, or sheep

Term
Definition

이응 (iung)

 

ng, like in sang

Term
Definition

지읏 (ch'iut)

 

ch/j as in chin, or agile

 

More often a j, than a ch

Term
Definition

치읏 (chi'ut)

 

ch, as in achieve

 

 

Term
Definition

키읔 (kiuk)

 

k as in akin

Term
Definition

티읕 (tiut)

 

t as in atomic

Term
Definition

피읖 (piup)

 

p as in repay

Term
Definition

히읗 (hiut)

 

h as in home

Term
Definition

쌍기역 (ssang-giyok)

 

unaspirated, accented k/g, as in skate

Term
Definition

쌍디긋 (ssang-tigut)

 

unaspirated, accented d/t, as in state

 

Term
Definition

쌍비읍 (ssang-piup)

 

unaspirated, accented b/p, like in spoon, or Bang!

Term
Definition

쌍시옷 (ssang-shiot)

 

unaspirated, accented s, as in assign

Term
Definition

쌍지읒 (ssang-jiut)

 

unaspirated, accented jj/tch/tz, as in pretzel

Term
What are the three dipthongs that make the similar/same "wae/weh" sound?  How does this phenomenon compare to English sounds and spellings?
Definition

외 왜 

(note the last one, 웨 is used when writing an English word in Korean EX: 웨딩 [wedding])

The three "wae" pronunciations is similar to how we use English dipthongs "ee" and "ea" or "ie" or in leek, read, and siege to all represent the LONG EEEE sound.  Though they sound the same, using the different letters in spelling represent totally different words.  (Ex: reed vs read)

 

Term
What are the two dipthongs that make the "ae/eh" sound?  What distinction in pronunciation do they have?  
Definition

애 에

Older generations of Korean speakers say that there is a distinction between the two in terms of pronunciation.  애 is a bright vowel and is spoken with a wider mouth, and has an elevated pitch to it with slight hints of the long "a" sound in it like the word "gay".  It is almost a hybrid of "ay" and "eh" as if you were trying to say "say" and "set" at the same time.  에 is a dark vowel and is more narrow, softer, lower, 'gruntier', flatter, breathier/puffier and more relaxed like ehhh.  It is easier as it is true to the short 'e' sound in "set".  In modern Korean and rapid conversation, they will basically both sound much like the short "e" as "ehh" and are understandable without need for distinction in pronunciation.

Term
How do you tell apart the two animals 개 and 게 in pronunciation?
Definition

개 means DOG

게 means CRAB

Since both these words contain the similar/same "ae/eh" sound, it can be difficult to distinguish in a sentence without context.  ("I saw a 개 at the beach." vs "I saw a 게 at the beach.")  These are both animals you could find at a beach.  Often modifier words or context is added to avoid confusion. EX: 꽃게 (blue crab).  There technically is a slight difference in pronunciation, the wider mouthed 개 "ay/eh" vs. the flatter 게 "eh" but this distinction has faded with contemporary Korean speakers.

Term
What are 애 and 에'named' or 'referred to' to tell them apart? 
Definition
The two spellings are referred to as ㅏㅣ (ah + i) and ㅓ ㅣ (oh + i) because of how the characters connect to form the vowel sound.
Supporting users have an ad free experience!