The Pronunciation of Old Korean: A Historical Perspective281

Introduction

The pronunciation of the Korean language has changed significantly over time. This is due to a number of factors, including sound changes that have occurred within the language itself, as well as the influence of other languages, such as Chinese and Japanese. The result is that the way that Korean is pronounced today is quite different from the way it was pronounced hundreds of years ago.

Early Korean

The earliest form of Korean, known as Proto-Korean, is believed to have been spoken around 2000 BC. This language was very different from modern Korean, and its pronunciation was likely quite different as well. However, due to the lack of written records from this period, it is difficult to say for sure how Proto-Korean was pronounced.

Middle Korean

The next stage in the development of the Korean language is known as Middle Korean. This period lasted from around the 7th to the 15th centuries AD. During this time, Korean underwent a number of sound changes, including the loss of many consonant clusters and the development of new vowel sounds. These changes resulted in a pronunciation that was closer to modern Korean, but still quite different.

Modern Korean

Modern Korean, which is spoken today, is the result of further sound changes that have occurred over the past few hundred years. These changes have resulted in a pronunciation that is very different from that of Middle Korean. For example, the consonant cluster /ŋg/ has been lost, and the vowel /ɔ/ has been diphthongized to /we/. These changes have made Modern Korean easier to pronounce for speakers of other languages, but they have also made it difficult for speakers of older forms of Korean to understand.

Conclusion

The pronunciation of Korean has changed significantly over time. These changes have been caused by a number of factors, including sound changes within the language itself, as well as the influence of other languages. The result is that the way that Korean is pronounced today is quite different from the way it was pronounced hundreds of years ago.

Additional Resources

2025-02-09

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