South Korea It has its own special language compared to other parts of the Asian continent, and its native alphabet is known as hangulThis writing system is considered one of the most important creations in the country's history and is worthy of study not only for its simplicity, but also for the way it manages to represent the sounds of the Korean language.
History of Hangul
El Hangul alphabet was created in the 1446th century by King Sejong the Great and promulgated in XNUMX to make literacy more accessible to all people. Until then, Korean was written using Chinese characters (known as hanya), but this system had several limitations. Its complexity meant that only educated elites could master Chinese, while the majority of the population remained illiterate.
El Hunminjeongeum, original name of the document where the hangul, literally meaning “the correct sounds for instructing the people” was the basis for introducing this new alphabet. This creation was, in essence, a revolution that allowed millions of Koreans to become literate in a quick and accessible way.
Hangul Structure and Simplicity
Hangul is considered one of the most logical and scientific alphabets in existence. It consists of 14 consonants and 10 vowels, which combine to form syllables. Each syllable It is organized into blocks that contain at least one consonant and one vowel, and may include a final consonant (called batchim).
One of the notable features of Hangul is how the consonants are designed according to the way they are pronounced. For example, the letter ㄱ (g, k) resembles the profile of the tongue when it touches the palate, while the letter ㅅ (s) remembers the shape of the teeth. This makes the hangul in a writing system that is not only functional, but also highly intuitive.
Characteristics of Vowels and Consonants
Members
Vowels are one of the easiest parts of Hangul to learn. They are composed of horizontal and vertical lines that represent elements of the universe according to Korean philosophy:
- A straight line (ㅣ) symbolizes The humanity.
- A dot or short stroke (ㆍ or ㅡ) represents the sky.
- The horizontal line symbolizes the land.
The basic vowels of the alphabet are the following:
- ㅏ (a)
- ㅓ (it's the)
- ㅗ (O)
- ㅜ (U)
- ㅡ (I)
The combination of these vowels and their iotized versions (adding a sound of y) form a rich sound system.
consonants
Consonants are designed to resemble the articulations of the vocal organs when making each sound. Here is a breakdown of the main consonant letters of the alphabet:
- ㄱ (g/k): Its design simulates the back of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth.
- N (n): It resembles the shape of the tongue when it touches the front top of the mouth.
- ㅁ (m): Its shape resembles closed lips.
This makes Hangul not only easy to remember, but also offers a significant advantage in associating the shapes of letters with the sounds they represent.
Placing letters in blocks
Unlike Western alphabets where letters are arranged linearly, the hangul organizes his letters into blocks that represent syllables. These blocks can contain between two and four letters (consonants and vowels).
For example, to write the word “bee” in Hangul, you write 꿀벌 instead of ㄲㅜㄹㅂㅓㄹ. Each individual letter is not pronounced in isolation, but rather as a single block containing all the sounds needed to pronounce the complete syllable.
Initial opposition and revival of Hangul
Despite its simplicity and genius, Hangul was not immediately accepted by the upper classes of Korean society, as they preferred the complex Chinese characters that allowed them to maintain their elite status. For centuries, Hangul was used primarily by women and people who did not have access to formal Chinese education.
It was from the 19th and 20th centuries when the Korean nationalism It sparked a revival of hangul, especially in the context of the Japanese occupation, when the use of the Korean language became a form of cultural resistance.
The global impact of Hangul
Today, the Korean alphabet Hangul is studied and admired not only in Korea, but around the world. Thanks to the Hallyu wave (the global expansion of Korean pop culture), more than 75 million people learn and use Hangul. Its cultural legacy and ease of learning have led institutions dedicated to its dissemination, such as the King Sejong Institute, to continue expanding its influence throughout the world.
Advantages and scientific characteristics of Hangul
Linguists such as Geoffrey Sampson have considered Hangul to be the most scientifically prominent alphabet in the world. This claim is based on its logical structure, the relationship between the shapes of letters and the sounds they represent, and the ease with which it can be learned. Because of these characteristics, illiteracy has virtually ceased to exist in Korea.
Furthermore, as it is a completely phonetic writing system, writing and reading Hangul is a much more direct exercise than in other ideographic systems, such as Chinese. Each letter corresponds to a sound, which simplifies learning.
Efforts to internationalize and expand the use of Hangul are also becoming more frequent, with organizations and academies around the world offering courses and resources to learn this alphabet, from basic to advanced levels.
Hangul It is not only a symbol of Korean pride, but a legacy of its ability to innovate and adapt to the needs of its people.
This writing system continues to surprise those who study it with its intelligent design and its ability to remain current and accessible over the centuries.