K-Learning | March.27.2024

The Fascinating Principles of Hangeul's Creation, Read in One Breath

 

Hangeul is a very scientific and systematically created script. 

 

It was awarded 🥇first place at The 1st World Alphabet Olympic and again at the  second competition, with the Telugu script from India in second place and the English alphabet in third.​

 

 

While the English alphabet's 26 letters can produce only about 300 sounds, Hangeul's 24 characters can theoretically generate over 11,000 sounds and practically around 8,700. This makes Hangeul highly efficient for information transmission.​

 

Now, why did Hangeul achieve such results? Let's explore the principles behind its creation.

 

 

[1] To Fully Grasp Hangeul, One Should Begin with Hunminjeongeum



Hangeul, the script in use today, was originally called Hunminjeongeum.



Thus, Hunminjeongeum serves as the foundational prototype of Hangeul.

 

 

[2] Two Main Principles Behind King Sejong's Creation of Hunminjeongeum​



The principle behind King Sejong's creation of Hunminjeongeum can be explained in two ways.​ 


​ 
✨ Firstly,​ 
the remaining letters were derived from the basic letters to enhance organization.​ 


​ 
✨ Secondly,​ 
the shapes of the letters were designed to mimic the speech organs, the celestial sky, the land, and people.​ 


​ 
📌 Regarding the first principle, additional strokes were incorporated into the basic letters, leading to a more systematic and organized writing system.​ 


​ 
This logical approach makes it easier to grasp Hangeul quickly once you understand the rules for sound production.​

 

 

✨ Consonant​ 

Example:
ⓐ ㄱ → ㅋ ​ 
ⓑ ㄴ → ㄷ → ㅌ​ 
ⓒ ㅁ → ㅂ → ㅍ​ 
ⓓ ㅅ → ㅈ → ㅊ​ 
ⓔ ㅇ → ㅎ

 

 

✨ Vowel

Example:
ⓐㅏ → ㅑ​ 
ⓑㅓ → ㅕ​ 
ⓒ ㅗ → ㅛ​ 
ⓓ ㅜ → ㅠ

 

 

[3] In Hangeul, Symbols Represent the Sky, Land, and People​ 



Among the second, the one that is modeled after the sky, the land, and people is the ‘Vowel’.​ 



The vowel letters are symbolic representations of different elements:​ 


​ 
✨'ㆍ' is a letter inspired by the brightness(Yang) of the sky.​ 

✨'ㅡ' is a letter inspired by the darkness(Yin) of the land.​ 

✨'ㅣ' is a letter inspired by the people, representing the balance between light and dark, embodied by the vertical line.​

 

 

In this way, the fundamental elements of all things are embodied in vowel letters.​ 



Initially, we considered letters merely as tools for communication; however, Hangeul reveals a profound significance beyond mere communication. 



Hangeul stands out with its accessible and scalable design principles, rooted in a philosophy that integrates essential aspects of humanity, earth, and the cosmos.



It's astonishing to realize that this philosophy forms the core of the script. Now, let's begin our Hangeul and Korean learning journey with confidence!

 

 

📍 Source of this content: KONOGRAM.com

 

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