The Long Post of Korean Romanization Systems (i.e. The Mess)
Basically because I want to show how hard it is to romanize, and the best way to do that is to explain the various systems and why it’s so hard to understand. I should also note that contemporary Korean uses spaces differently than English does (though technically you can do without spaces in Korean.) This may confuse things…
And most Koreans don’t understand romanization. (romaja)
Basic Hangeul (not combined as usual) ㄱㄴㄷㄹㅁㅅㅇㅈ(basic consonants) ㄲㄸㅃㅆㅉ (double consonants) ㅊㅋㅌㅍㅎ (aspirated Consonants) ㅏㅓㅗㅜㅡㅣㅐㅔ (simple vowels) ㅑㅕㅛㅠㅒㅖ (Y+vowel) (an additional short line compared to the simple vowels) ㅘㅙㅚㅝㅞㅟㅢ(W+vowel) (two combined vertical and horizontal vowels)
Name of Consonants ㄱ- 기역 (giyok) ㄴ- 니은 (nieun) ㄷ- 디귿 (digeut) ㄹ- 리을 (rieul) ㅁ- 미음 (mieum) ㅅ- 시옷 (siot) ㅇ- 이응 (ieung) ㅈ- 지읒 (jieut) ㅊ- 치읓 (chieut) ㅋ- 키읔 (kieuk) ㅌ- 티읕 (tieut) ㅍ- 피읖 (pieup) ㅎ- 히읕 (hieut) ㄲ- 쌍기역 (ssang giyok) ㄸ- 쌍디귿 (ssang digeut) ㅃ- 쌍비읍 (ssang bieup) ㅆ- 쌍시옷 (ssang siot) ㅉ- 쌍지읒 (ssang jieut) Bright v. Dark vowels of Korean This helps with conjugation later... since it follows these rules. yang (bright) ㅏ and ㅗ series (ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅘ) yin (dark) ㅓ and ㅜ series (ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅝ) neutral ㅡ and ㅣ Construction You have three basic constructions to make a syllable. The last consonant is optional, the first one is not. If there is no initial sound then ieung is used. 웅 straight down (consonant, vowel, [consonant]) This is for the horizontal vowels. 엉 vowel to the right side. (consonant, vowel, [consonant]) 읭 or like this. side and in the middle. (Consonant vowel left and right, [consonant]) Anything before the slash is the initial sound representation in the romanization. Anything after is the final sound representation in the romanization. McCune–Reischauer romanization This system was rejected because no one can type diacritical marks over the vowels, plus it make no sense that some get it and some don't. It also didn't represent the sounds in Korean correctly. ㄱ- k/k ㄴ- n/n ㄷ- t/t ㄹ- r/r ㅁ-m/m ㅅ- s/t ㅇ- [silent]/ng ㅈ- j/t ㅊ- ch/t ㅋ- k' ㅌ- t' ㅍ- p' ㅎ- h ㄲ- kk ㄸ- tt ㅃ- pp ㅆ- ss ㅉ- tch ㄳ- ks(h) ㄵ- nj ㄶ- n ㄺ- lg ㄻ- lm ㄼ- lb ㄽ- ls(h) ㄾ- lt ㄿ- lp' ㅀ- l ㅄ- bs(h) ㅏ-a ㅑ- ya ㅓ- ŏ ㅕ- yŏ ㅗ- o ㅛ- yo ㅜ- u ㅠ- yu ㅡ- ŭ ㅣ- i ㅐ- ae ㅒ-yae ㅔ- e ㅖ- ye ㅘ- wa ㅙ- wae ㅚ- oe ㅝ- wŏ ㅞ- we ㅟ- wi ㅢ- ui Yale version Yale came a decade after McCune... but repeated the same kind of errors of McCune and added some issue of its own. (Personally, I think this doesn't represent the sounds of Korean correctly) ㄱ- k/k ㄴ- n/n ㄷ- t/t ㄹ- r/r ㅁ-m/m ㅅ- s/s ㅇ- [silent]/ng ㅈ- j ㅊ- ch ㅋ- kh ㅌ- th ㅍ- ph ㅎ- h ㄲ-kk ㄸ-tt ㅃ-pp ㅆ-ss ㅉ-cc ㅏ- a ㅑ-ya ㅓ-e ㅕ-ye ㅗ-o ㅛ-yo ㅜ-u/wu ㅠ-yu ㅡ-u ㅣ-i ㅐ-yay ㅒ-yey ㅔ-ey ㅖ-ye ㅘ-wa ㅙ-way ㅚ-oy ㅝ-we ㅞ-wo ㅟ-we ㅢ-uy Revised Romanization System (of South Korea) This system makes probably the closest sense, but has a few faults to it. This was released by the South Korean government. But given the previous systems plus those imposed by both Russia and China, some names still are spelled with the older systems. ㄱ- g ㄴ- n ㄷ- d ㄹ- r ㅁ-m/m ㅅ- s ㅇ- [silent]/ng ㅈ- j ㅊ- ch ㅋ- k ㅌ- t ㅍ- p ㅎ- h ㄲ- kk ㄸ- tt ㅃ- pp ㅆ- ss ㅉ- jj ㅏ- a ㅑ-ya ㅓ- eo ㅕ- yeo ㅗ- o ㅛ- yo ㅜ- u ㅠ- yu ㅡ- ey ㅣ- i ㅐ- ae ㅒ- ye ㅔ- e ㅖ-ye ㅘ- wa ㅙ- wae ㅚ- oe ㅝ- wo ㅞ- we ㅟ- wi ㅢ- ui The use of u (and confusion therein) ㅡ,ㅜ,ㅓ can all be confused with "u" Some also try to make ㅆ and ㅅ have an sh, which BTW, is inaccurate is is most likely trying to make it easier on the speaker... but it's like saying "sit" and then adding the h after the s... you just don't do it. And it's not that hard. (The Korean s is slightly stressed which is different from the s or the sh of English) Also there are issues because revised doesn't reflect reality of sounds in Korean. Therefore, many subbers modified the Revised to have it this way.... ㄱ- g/k ㄴ- n/n ㄷ- d/t ㄹ- r/l ㅁ-m/m ㅅ- s/t ㅇ- [silent]/ng ㅈ- j/t ㅊ- ch/t ㅋ- k/t ㅌ- t/t ㅍ- p/t ㅎ- h/t ㄲ- kk ㄸ- tt ㅃ- pp ㅆ- ss ㅉ- jj ㅏ- a ㅑ- ya ㅓ- eo ㅕ- yeo ㅗ- o ㅛ- yo ㅜ- oo ㅠ- yoo ㅡ- ey ㅣ- i ㅐ- ae ㅒ- ye ㅔ- e ㅖ- ye ㅘ- wa ㅙ- wae ㅚ- oe ㅝ- wo ㅞ- we ㅟ- wi ㅢ- ui Crazier Systems In the Chinese derived system some spelled the jj sound as "z" (which makes absolutely no sense since it doesn't even sound close to "z") Modified Systems ㄱㄲㅋ g, gg, k ㅂㅃㅍ b, bb, p ㄷㄸㅌ d, dd, t ㅈㅉㅊ j, jj, ch system is also sometimes used. In either case, you can see the folly of trying to put it into English letters. It just doesn't work and the sounds are represented correctly because there isn't a one to one. Thus, I'll go over a basic pronunciation guide.... and resplit it to make it easier. Pronunciation guide ㄱ- initial sound is close to a g, but has a little k in it. final sound is like a k (english) ㄴ- n is the usual n sound in English. It does match one for one. Non-nasal. (Not the Japanese final n sound) ㄷ- initial sound is between a d and a t. (less air than a t in English) final sound is a t. ㄹ- initial sound is like an r/l *similar to Japanese* but not the same. the tongue is a touch forward for the Japanese r/l sound. the final sound is an l sound. ㅁ- m sounds like m. No changes, not that nasal. ㅅ- initial sound is a soft s. It may be stressed a little as in ss in princess, but softer. It is NOT sh. *bangs people's heads* some lazy actors do say is sh, but they are overworked and tired anyway... final sound is a t ㅇ- initial sound is silent. 오 would be o. (oh) final sound is ng. 응 ong ㅈ- j for initial. t for final. ㅎ- h is h. ㄲ- double up k/g sound. gone is similar. (though the sound is too low). DO NOT SEPARATE the double consonant. ㄸ between a double d and a double t sound. marry ladder and later and that's close. DO NOT SEPARATE the double consonant. ㅃ- double b/p sound. closer to a double b. DO NOT SEPARATE the double consonant. ㅆ- ss is in princess. It is NOT an SH. (Ajusshi is incorrect pronunciation. It should be ajussi) DO NOT SEPARATE the double consonant. ㅉ- double j sound. DO NOT SEPARATE the double consonant. ㅊ- ch/t ch as in Chuntney. final sound is a t. add air to the double j. It's not the ch of Hannukah though. (sound starts middle of the mouth and moves forwards) ㅋ- k with air. (take it from the throat and move it forward. If you get phlegm, you are getting there) ㅌ- t, sound is aspirated in the throat and has air. ㅍ- p as in princess, only with slightly more air. ㅏ- ah as in ah! You ruined my brand new carpet. ㅓ- eo say eh~ *keep your tongue in that position.* Round your mouth while keeping your tongue there and your get eo. ㅗ- oh (tongue down, mouth rounded) ㅜ- oo. Ooo~ You're in trouble. ㅡ- eu- hut is similar in sound. (tongue same position as eh, mouth relaxed.) ㅣ- sort ee sound. It's short as the short i sound in English. ee as in meet is too long. No equivalent I know of. (So, no it's not Kim as in Kimberly. It's keem, k closer to a g, ee is short with final m.) ㅐ- say ah- (as in doctor's office) move *lips, not tongue* to say "eh" you get ae. ㅔ- eh ㅑ- ya (Ya! Don't you run away) ㅕ- Yeo (Same with a y) ㅛ- yo ㅠ- yoo (You and me) ㅒ-yae ㅖ- ye ㅘ-wa ㅙ- wae ㅚ- oe ㅝ- wuh (Wonder) ㅞ- we (web) ㅟ- wee (Short ee sound) ㅢ-uey Final Consonants ㄱ, ㄲ, ㅋ, ㄳ, ㄺ are all pronounced as ㄱ ㄴ, ㄵ are pronounced as ㄴ ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ are pronounced as ㄷ ㄹ, ㄼ, ㄽ, ㄾ are pronounced as ㄹ ㅁ, ㄻ are pronounced as ㅁ ㅂ, ㅍ, ㅄ, ㄿ are pronounced as ㅂ ㅇ is pronounced as ㅇ Pronunciation Exceptions Korean *does* have exceptions to pronunciation rules and also lazy pronunciation. (English has a lot of exceptions... so don't say it's so hard when you have English) ㄴ as a final consonant before the ㄹ makes an l sound. 전라도- Jeolla-do, not jeonrado. final ㄹ with a beginning ㄹ ends with an l sound. 알라 ahlah (rather than ahl-rah) final ㅂ before an initial ㄴ becomes an m sound. 감사합니다 (kam-sah-ha[p]m-ni-dah) final ㄴ before an initial ㅂ sound becomes a m. a final consonant followed by an initial consonant ㅇ negates the consonant ㅇ 생각에 is pronounced: [생가게) meaning to think. --except in the case of ㅇ--which is special.... 꼬맹이 is pronounced 꼬맨기 (for the small figures... also 꼬마) a final h before a consonant makes the next consonant aspirated. 어떻게-->어떠케 Pronunciation Cultural exceptions 누구 (noogoo) meaning "Who" can sound like 두구 (doogoo) with some people when they are being lazy. 아 파 (ah-pha) (to hurt) can sound like 아퍼 (Ah-pheo) This has to do with the Korean belief of "bright" and "dark" vowels. "ah" is a "bright" vowel. and "Eo" is a dark vowel. Getting hurt is a dark moment, so it gets a "dark" vowel. Also, I hypothesize that maybe it has to do with 아빠 (ah-ppa) sounding similar which means father. A few of them follow this rule... though it's technically not correct in spelling. Personally, I find it much easier because of the confusion to use hangeul. I lean towards a modified version of the revised otherwise with the best representation of the actual sounds, even if you can't type it into hangeul one to one.












