[KS] Re: Enforced Romanization

[J.Scott Burgeson]

--- Adam Bohnet <mixoparth at yahoo.ca> wrote:

> Less dramatically, “apartE(an adverb,
> by the way, not an adjective) 


This is the first I have heard that apart is not an
adjective!

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary

Main Entry: 2apart
Function: adjective
1 : SEPARATE, ISOLATED
2 : holding different opinions : DIVIDED
- apart·ness noun 


> Far from being “self-indulgent,Ea standard system
> of transliteration is obviously a good thing to
have.


Yes, I agree but it so happens that the Korean gov't
itself has kept changing the system numerous times
over the years... Who's to say that the new system
won't be changed again? The Korean gov't may wish that
it could just snap its fingers and have the whole
world do whatever it wants, but as in the geopolitical
realm this just doesn't always happen. I maintain that
the Korean gov't can use whatever system it wants
(even an inferior one), but since romanization is
meant to be for the benefit of non-Korean speakers
primarily, non-Korean speakers such as native English
speakers should have the right to use whatever
romanization system they (collectively)  determine is
best (without heavy-handed harassment from Korean
authorities). Meanwhile, Koreans can use whatever odd
Konglish terms they want but this merely projects a
cheesy national image internationally and as with the
issue of standardized romanization of Korean, isn't
this whole matter ultimately about projecting a
positive, standardized and official national image
internationally?
 

> I have not once seen any scholar
> anywhere use the diacritic marks in an e-mail
> (although presumably it is possible);


As the broken-up word "apart" you mentioned above
demonstrates on my computer screen right now (at an
Internet cafe in Insa-dong), diacritics tend to get
garbaled in digital format.

   Best,
       "Suk'a'tu Beo'geo'sun"
       (aka Scott Burgeson)


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