[KS] KSR 1999-07: _Handbook of Korean Vocabulary: A Resource for Word

[Stephen Epstein]

_Handbook of Korean Vocabulary:  A Resource for Word Recognition and
Comprehension_, by Miho Choo and William O'Grady.  Honolulu:  University of
Hawai'i Press, 1996.  387 +xxvii pp.  (ISBN 0-8248-1738-9 cloth; ISBN
0-8248-1815-6 paper).

Reviewed by Nevitt Reagan
Kansai Gaidai University

[This review first appeared in Acta Koreana 2 (1999), pp.179-81. _Acta
Koreana_ is published by Academia Koreana of Keimyung University.]


       Students and teachers in Korean language programs have always had a
less than extensive choice of teaching/learning materials, certainly so
when compared to those in more commonly-taught Asian language courses, such
as Japanese and Chinese.  The Handbook of Korean Vocabulary, which
according to the authors is the first "root" dictionary of Korean for
learners, is a truly welcome addition to the field. The Handbook contains
over 1,500 lists of Korean word compounds, each organized around a
word-root.  It presents only those roots which are productive (i.e., those
which form compounds).  Thus, as the authors warn us, it is not a
comprehensive dictionary, and many basic Korean words which do not form
compounds are omitted.  The introduction provides explanations of various
types of word compounds, as well as informative descriptions of Korean word
formation.  Here, however, the authors' backgrounds in linguistics rather
than language pedagogy is apparent, as they freely employ terms such as
"bound roots" and "opaque compounds," which may prove daunting for
beginning students without prior knowledge of linguistic concepts.  There
is also a pronunciation guide which includes valuable (though also slightly
technical) descriptions of assimilation and tensification, two important
phonological processes which affect the phonetic realization of adjacent
phonemes, with ample illustrations of how they function in Korean.

       The Handbook is divided into two major sections, each in Korean
alphabetical order:  1) Sino-Korean roots (those of Chinese origin), and 2)
native Korean roots.  Each root is written in han'gžl and given a
colloquial English translation.  This information is printed in a boldfaced
font, slightly larger than that of the list of compounds which follows.  The
inclusion of hanja for Sino-Korean roots is helpful not only for students
who have previously studied Japanese or Chinese but also those who are
learning to read authentic materials in Korean.  Unfortunately, however,
hanja are printed in a font so small and unclear as to make the more
complex ones virtually unreadable by students who have had
little or no experience with Chinese characters; this is an inexcusable
defect in a language teaching text, especially one from a publisher which
has had extensive experience in working with Asian scripts.

       The structure of the individual entries in the Handbook aids
students in acquiring a range of semantically connected words by
demonstrating relationships between lexical items which derive from the
same root.  For example, the root kwa (fruit; result) is followed by kwa'il
(fruit), kwasuw™n (orchard), sa'gwa (apple), s™nggwa (result), hyo'gwa
(effect), and kway™n (as expected).  Thus, students are encouraged to
recognize the way in which a word root can be extended from literal "fruit"
to the concept of "fruition."  Valuable extra information is also supplied
in many cases, e.g., whether a root can function as an independent word, or
can form a verb with ~hada, or is used as an honorific or derogatory term.

       A slight problem with the format of the book is its division into
two sections (Sino-Korean and native Korean).  A student who is unsure of a
root's historical origin will frequently need to search in both sections.
(Imagine a list of English compounds divided by Latinate or Germanic
origin!).  This style of organization simply adds to the time and
effort required to locate a new root or compound.

       Further, the selection of roots was based on the authors' judgments
of frequency and usefulness (p. xviii).  Ideally, this task would be better
accomplished through the use of computerized word corpora (e.g., the
COBUILD Bank of English), which are now commonly used in producing English
as a Second Language learners' dictionaries, thus
allowing for lexical selections based on actual frequency of use.  Perhaps
by the time a second edition of the Handbook is warranted such corpora will
be more readily available to the authors.

       Another shortcoming of the book as a learner resource is the lack of
example sentences.  Although space limitations may have prevented it, the
inclusion of illustrative examples would provide a valuable context for
learning just how and in what situations the roots and compounds are used.

       Finally, the price is a bit steep for what must certainly be
considered a supplementary text.  Consequently, the Handbook may end up on
linguists' bookshelves or in the reference sections of academic libraries,
but probably not on many students' desks.  Despite these problems, the
Handbook is still an excellent resource for those desiring a systematic way
to increase vocabulary knowledge in Korean.  It will serve well as
self-study material for students of Korean (or even for native Koreans
studying English) or as a teacher reference for lesson planning.


Citation:
Reagan, Nevitt  1999
Review of Miho Choo and William O'Grady, _Handbook of Korean Vocabulary: A
Resource for Word Recognition and Comprehension_ (1996)
Korean Studies Review 1999, no. 7
Electronic file:
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/korean-studies/files/ksr99-07.htm
[This review first appeared in Acta Koreana 2 (1999), pp.179-81]


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