[KS] Korea Linguistic Association

[Stefan Ewing]

Dear Lia:

(I'm replying on-list since this may be of interest to other participants.)

I can't offer any insight into why Choso^n O^hakhoe became the dominant 
group in colonial-era Korean linguistics or exactly to what degree it 
actively fostered or participated in the overall development of Korean 
national consciousness, but I can give a few specific details on that and 
another contemporary group.

In "The Romanization of the Korean Language Based upon Its Phonetic 
Structure" (_Transactions of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society_, 
vol. XXIX, Seoul, 1939), G. M. McCune and E. O. Reischauer mention a 
contemporary effort to standardize "o^nmun" spelling (p. 5).  This effort 
was spearheaded by two rival societies, the Choso^n O^hakhoe ("the older of 
the two societies") and the Choso^n O^hak Yo^nguhoe (p. 6, footnote 1).  
(This is the same group mentioned by Dr. King as being led by Pak Sung-bin.)

The O^hakhoe called its system of spelling "Han'gu^l," the name with which 
we are familiar today, and which is translated into English by McCune and 
Reischauer as the "Unified System."  (Curiously, the authors seem to imply 
that the name was intended to apply specifically to the O^hakhoe's set of 
spelling rules, rather than to the script itself.)  The O^hak Yo^nguhoe's 
competing system was called "Cho^ngu^m," a nod to the script's original name 
and the book that introduced it, the _Hunmin Cho^ngu^m_ (ibid.).

The Choso^n O^hakhoe certainly prevailed in its linguistic influence, as 
already by the 1930s it had published the _Han'gu^l Mach'umpo^p T'ongiran_ 
("Rules for the Unification of Spelling to Conform to the Unified System," 
1933) and the _Choso^no^ P'yojunmal Mou^m_ ("A Compilation of Korean Words 
with their Standard Spelling," 2nd ed., 1937) (ibid.), forerunners of 
today's _Han'gu^l Mach'umpo^p_ and  _P'yojuno^ Kyujo^ng_ respectively, which 
of course can be found in the back of practically any Korean dictionary.  
...And of course in South Korea today--as further testament to the group's 
influence--the ubiquitous phonetic script first introduced under King Sejong 
is called Han'gu^l.

That is all that Messrs. McC. and R. mention of the O^hak Yo^nguhoe, but 
Naver picks up by providing an encyclopedia entry on the group here: 
http://100.naver.com/100.php?id=729459 .

As a further reference--and I know this pales in comparison to even the most 
basic text on the matter, and probably doesn't provide you with any new 
information--Pusan National University's "Urimal Pae-umt'o" site offers a 
brief chronology with a few key names, dates, and publications in the field 
of Korean linguistics, which might serve as a useful resource: 
http://urimal.cs.pusan.ac.kr/edu_sys_new/new/docu/history/history/find_1.asp 
.

I might also suggest searching through back issues of _Sae Kugo^ Saenghwal_ 
("New Korean Life"), the National Academy of the Korean Language's quarterly 
journal, as it often has in-depth historical articles on these sorts of 
topics.

Sorry I couldn't offer more, but hopefully this was of some small amount of 
help,
Yours sincerely,
Stefan Ewing

***

>From: <W.Choi at lse.ac.uk>
>Reply-To: Korean Studies Discussion List <Koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws>
>To: <Koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws>
>Subject: Re: [KS] Korea Linguistic Association
>Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2006 18:19:27 -0000
>
>Dear Professor King,
>
>Thank you for your most helpful email, especially the reminder about other 
>linguistic societies during the 1920s.
>
>My curiosity of the Ohakhae stems though from the desire to look at 
>linguistic organisations that actively engaged in maintaining Korean 
>nationalism/identity during the colonial era.  In this vein, I have only 
>come across this group and deduced that they must have played a more 
>politically conscious and active role than others.  The primary question 
>that I am keen to research is how did such an organisation helped to 
>moderate and form Korean nationalism in the long-term and short-term.  In 
>this light, would you have any suggestions where I ought to look?
>
>I absolutely agree that colonial period materials must be looked at.  
>Instead of the Chosen Sotokufu, ie, at the top level, I believe that 
>looking into accounts of lower-level Japanese administration, local and 
>individual records might add an important and interesting level of 
>analysis.  If you or any others deem it also sensible and have any idea 
>where to find them, I would be very grateful to be pointed in the right 
>direction.
>
>My email address is w.choi at lse.ac.uk if anyone replying to the present 
>email thinks that this topic has already clogged enough inboxes.  Thank you 
>all for your patience.
>
>Finally, for those any interested, the website is http://www.hangeul.or.kr/
>
>Best wishes,
>Lia
>IH Dept. LSE
>
>________________________________
>
>From: Koreanstudies-bounces at koreaweb.ws on behalf of jrpking
>Sent: Sun 3/5/2006 4:28 AM
>To: Korean Studies Discussion List
>Subject: Re: [KS] Korea Linguistic Association
>
>Dear Lia:
>
>...
>
>Please note also that the Chosonohakhoe (colonial period precursor of the 
>Hangul Hakhoe) -- again, _pace_ most South Korean accounts -- was not the 
>only game in town when it came to grammar, orthography, linguistic 
>research, language activism, etc., during the colonial period. Pak 
>Sung-bin's rival society is also written out of most accounts of the 
>period, as are the even earlier linguistic societies launched by, e.g., the 
>Japanese colonial police and in which later 'stars' of the Chosonohakhoe 
>published some early papers.
>
>So we need to balance both SK and NK retrospective accounts of these 
>societies and their activities during the colonial period, but more than 
>that, of course, we need to look at the colonial period materials 
>themselves, most of which have been reprinted. (Pak Sung-bin's society 
>published a journal called _Chong'um_ ('Correct Sounds') which needs to be 
>read in conjunction with _Han'gul_).
>
>Cheers,
>--
>Ross King
>Associate Professor of Korean, University of British Columbia
>and
>Dean, Korean Language Village, Concordia Language Villages

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