[KS] RE: Se habla Han'gul?

kimrenau kimrenau at gwis2.circ.gwu.edu
Thu Jan 27 09:32:53 EST 2000


I apologize for having kept the original messages in my earlier posting, John 
and everyone. This time I will just cut a small portion from some of the 
messages to make clear about what I am referring to.

First of all, I am not advocating the "correctness" of the usage of <Han'gUl> 
to mean 'the Korean language.'  I simply remarked it exists as a variation, 
and quite a common one at that.

Of course, when Koreans speak to each other, they rarely refer to their own 
language as "Korean."  It is either "our language" (uri[nara]mal) or "the 
national language"(kugO).  Also if people used <han'gUl> rather than "Korean" 
or even <han'gungmal> just for foreigners, it would certainly not be to make 
it easier for them.  Phonologically, <han'gungmal> is a lot easier to 
pronounce than <han'gUl> for almost all foreigners.  Using "Korean" would of 
course be the easiest.

Linguists' main job is not to police language use.  Their research, especially 
socio-linguistic, can be helpful in language planning including orthographic 
reforms, but they are not and should not be the ones to tell them how to 
speak.  In fact, linguistic research is based on how people speak or write. 
Language is dynamic.  However hard purists want to maintain or enhance what 
looks perfect or ideal in a language, it will take its own course.

Young-Key Kim-Renaud

***Horace Underwood said***
>...In fact, the spoken language is seldom even hanguk-mal - it is usually 
"urinara-mal," ...

***John Harvey said***
>    I have come across Koreans referring to the Korean language as Han-gu^l,
>but I think only when they are speaking English, or at least speaking to a
>foreigner.  It seems to be a case of leaning over backwards to be helpful.
>I remember dealing with people at Hyundae who invariably pronounced it to
>rhyme with "hewn dye" for my benefit

***Hyun-key Hogarth said***
>...might its clearly wrong usage not be easily put right through the efforts 
of experts such as herself?





More information about the Koreanstudies mailing list