Konglish
Encyclopedia
Konglish is the use of English
words (or words derived from English words) in a Korean
context. The words, having initially been taken from the English language, are either actual English words in Korean context, like 모터사이클 (motorcycle
), or are made from a combination of Korean and/or English words (such as Officetel
오피스텔 Office
+ Hotel
) which are not used in English-speaking countries. It can be considered a sublanguage
, and common sentence structure or vocabulary mistakes made by Koreans have also been referred to as Konglish. Words and phrases borrowed from English or other languages may be shortened if Koreans using them feel they are too long. Kim Seong-kon an English professor at Seoul National University
attributed these mistakes to an over reliance on a Korean-English dictionary and a lack of understanding of culture, and natural collocation
s as well he felt Koreans should actively seek native English speakers to proof-read their English.
. However this use can often lead to misunderstandings due to problems with pronunciation, grammar or vocabulary. Modern use of Konglish has already created a linguistic divide between North Korea
and South Korea. North Korean defectors can have trouble integrating into South Korean society because much of the Konglish used there is not used in North Korea. This can lead to confusion, misunderstandings and delay integration into the society. This is not the sole cause of the linguistic divide between the two nations as some Korean words are also used differently between the two countries. While Konglish problems exist between the North and South they also exist between the metropolitan and rural. Ahn Jung-hyo a Korean-English translator who is the author of "A False English Dictionary" was noted for saying that improper use of Konglish in other countries is likely to bring shame to Korea. However, John Huer, a columnist for Korea Times, noted Konglish usage as one of his "10 Most Wonderful Things About Korea". He felt that it was both inventive and clever. After that article Huer criticized Koreans for their bad English and improper use of loanwords, though. Modern Konglish usage could even be viewed as art, yet there is a difference between a cultural use of a word like "Fighting!" and the bad grammar and vocabulary seen on signs, packages, and TV around Korea. Sebastian Harrisan has suggested that calling these kinds of things Konglish masks the problem with English education in Korea. The Korean government has been criticized by civic groups for their use of Konglish in slogans and focusing too much on English education. They feel that the heavy focus on English will damage the Korean language and doesn't benefit international competitiveness. In contrast, Jasper Kim, a law professor at Ewha Womans University
, wrote that Konglish is necessary in a global context and that strict adherence to grammatical rules shouldn't trump getting the message across.
The spread of Konglish in the Korean language has been cited as a reason to increase Koreans' exposure to native English speakers, especially during their educational time. Koreans instructing others can lead to cementing errors into the language. Poor planning in the education system can result in unqualified Korean teachers being chosen to teach English with little or no time to prepare. These teachers end up using Konglish in the classroom. Even teachers who prepare may end up using official materials that contain numerous errors and Konglish. This can create a feeling of passiveness towards learning structurally and technically correct English. Students look to teachers as the example and if teachers are making mistakes, these are passed on to them. The issue of bad Konglish has been raised in relation to tourism. There is a concern that poor English on signs, brochures, websites, or in other media might cause tourists to find another destination. This is a concern not just in small or remote venues, but even major international locations like Incheon Airport. When the airport was first opened for business more than 49 signs were found to contain English errors. In addition to keeping away tourists, Konglish usage can lead to the breakdown of business deals. Misunderstandings might lead a foreign business partner to lose confidence in a Korean company. In 2010, a poll showed that 44% of local governments in South Korea used an English phrase in their marketing
slogan
. The slogans at the time included: Lucky Dongjak, Dynamic Busan
, Yes Gumi, Colorful Daegu
, Ulsan
for You, Happy Suwon
, New Start! Yesan, Super Pyeongtaek
, Hi-Touch Gongju
, and Nice Jecheon
.
As Koreans emigrate to English speaking countries Konglish has also come to refer to Korean words being used in mainly English sentences.
is used below.)
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
words (or words derived from English words) in a Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
context. The words, having initially been taken from the English language, are either actual English words in Korean context, like 모터사이클 (motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
), or are made from a combination of Korean and/or English words (such as Officetel
Officetel
In South Korea, an officetel , is a multi-purpose building with residential and commercial units.This is a type of studio apartment or studio flat....
오피스텔 Office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
+ Hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
) which are not used in English-speaking countries. It can be considered a sublanguage
Sublanguage
-In Natural Language:In Informatics, natural language processing, and machine translation, a sublanguage is the language of a restricted domain, particularly a technical domain...
, and common sentence structure or vocabulary mistakes made by Koreans have also been referred to as Konglish. Words and phrases borrowed from English or other languages may be shortened if Koreans using them feel they are too long. Kim Seong-kon an English professor at Seoul National University
Seoul National University
Seoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
attributed these mistakes to an over reliance on a Korean-English dictionary and a lack of understanding of culture, and natural collocation
Collocation
In corpus linguistics, collocation defines a sequence of words or terms that co-occur more often than would be expected by chance. In phraseology, collocation is a sub-type of phraseme. An example of a phraseological collocation is the expression strong tea...
s as well he felt Koreans should actively seek native English speakers to proof-read their English.
Modern use of Konglish
Using English words in daily conversation, advertising, and entertainment is seen as trendy and coolCool (aesthetic)
Something regarded as cool is an admired aesthetic of attitude, behavior, comportment, appearance and style, influenced by and a product of the Zeitgeist. Because of the varied and changing connotations of cool, as well its subjective nature, the word has no single meaning. It has associations of...
. However this use can often lead to misunderstandings due to problems with pronunciation, grammar or vocabulary. Modern use of Konglish has already created a linguistic divide between North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and South Korea. North Korean defectors can have trouble integrating into South Korean society because much of the Konglish used there is not used in North Korea. This can lead to confusion, misunderstandings and delay integration into the society. This is not the sole cause of the linguistic divide between the two nations as some Korean words are also used differently between the two countries. While Konglish problems exist between the North and South they also exist between the metropolitan and rural. Ahn Jung-hyo a Korean-English translator who is the author of "A False English Dictionary" was noted for saying that improper use of Konglish in other countries is likely to bring shame to Korea. However, John Huer, a columnist for Korea Times, noted Konglish usage as one of his "10 Most Wonderful Things About Korea". He felt that it was both inventive and clever. After that article Huer criticized Koreans for their bad English and improper use of loanwords, though. Modern Konglish usage could even be viewed as art, yet there is a difference between a cultural use of a word like "Fighting!" and the bad grammar and vocabulary seen on signs, packages, and TV around Korea. Sebastian Harrisan has suggested that calling these kinds of things Konglish masks the problem with English education in Korea. The Korean government has been criticized by civic groups for their use of Konglish in slogans and focusing too much on English education. They feel that the heavy focus on English will damage the Korean language and doesn't benefit international competitiveness. In contrast, Jasper Kim, a law professor at Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University is a private women's university in central Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the city's largest institutions of higher learning and currently the world's largest female educational institute. It is one of the best-known universities in South Korea, and often considered to...
, wrote that Konglish is necessary in a global context and that strict adherence to grammatical rules shouldn't trump getting the message across.
The spread of Konglish in the Korean language has been cited as a reason to increase Koreans' exposure to native English speakers, especially during their educational time. Koreans instructing others can lead to cementing errors into the language. Poor planning in the education system can result in unqualified Korean teachers being chosen to teach English with little or no time to prepare. These teachers end up using Konglish in the classroom. Even teachers who prepare may end up using official materials that contain numerous errors and Konglish. This can create a feeling of passiveness towards learning structurally and technically correct English. Students look to teachers as the example and if teachers are making mistakes, these are passed on to them. The issue of bad Konglish has been raised in relation to tourism. There is a concern that poor English on signs, brochures, websites, or in other media might cause tourists to find another destination. This is a concern not just in small or remote venues, but even major international locations like Incheon Airport. When the airport was first opened for business more than 49 signs were found to contain English errors. In addition to keeping away tourists, Konglish usage can lead to the breakdown of business deals. Misunderstandings might lead a foreign business partner to lose confidence in a Korean company. In 2010, a poll showed that 44% of local governments in South Korea used an English phrase in their marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
. The slogans at the time included: Lucky Dongjak, Dynamic Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, Yes Gumi, Colorful Daegu
Daegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
, Ulsan
Ulsan
Ulsan , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan to the east.Ulsan is the...
for You, Happy Suwon
Suwon
Suwon is the provincial capital of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. A major city of over a million inhabitants, Suwon lies approximately south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety"....
, New Start! Yesan, Super Pyeongtaek
Pyeongtaek
Pyeongtaek is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940 AD, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986, and is home to a South Korean naval base and a large...
, Hi-Touch Gongju
Gongju
Gongju , also spelt Kongju, is a city in South Chungcheong province, South Korea. It is located at .- History :Gongju was formerly named Ungjin and was the capital of Baekje from AD 475 to 538. In this period, Baekje was under threat from Goguryeo...
, and Nice Jecheon
Jecheon
Jecheon is a city in Chungcheongbuk-do , South Korea. The city is a major railway junction , served by the Jungang, Chungbuk and Taebaek Lines. Jecheon has scenic surroundings and several tourist spots like the Uirimji Reservoir, Cheongpung Lake and Cheongpung Cultural Properties Complex...
.
As Koreans emigrate to English speaking countries Konglish has also come to refer to Korean words being used in mainly English sentences.
List of most common Konglish
The National Academy of the Korean Language selected 6000 essential vocabulary for people learning Korean. Lee Jae-wook compiled this list and organized it by frequency. The highest frequency section contains 1087 total words, including a number of Konglish terms taken directly from English; these terms retain the same meaning and nearly the same pronunciation as in the original English. (Revised RomanizationRevised Romanization of Korean
The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea proclaimed by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, replacing the older McCune–Reischauer system...
is used below.)
| Romanization | Hangeul | English | Romanization | Hangeul | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ge-im | 게임 | game | nek-ta-i | 넥타이 | necktie |
| no-teu | 노트 | note | nyu-seu | 뉴스 | news |
| dal-leo | 달러 | dollar | ra-di-o | 라디오 | radio |
| reo-si-a | 러시아 | Russia | me-nyu | 메뉴 | menu |
| mi-teo | 미터 | meter | ba-na-na | 바나나 | banana |
| beo-seu | 버스 | bus | bol-pen | 볼펜 | ballpoint pen |
| bi-di-o | 비디오 | video | sya-wo | 샤워 | shower |
| sen-ti-mi-teo | 센티미터 | centimeter | so-pa | 소파 | sofa |
| syo-ping | 쇼핑 | shopping | syu-peo-ma-ket | 슈퍼마켓 | supermarket |
| seu-ki | 스키 | ski | seu-teu-re-seu | 스트레스 | stress |
| seu-po-cheu | 스포츠 | sports | a-i-seu-keu-rim | 아이스크림 | ice-cream |
| a-pa-teu | 아파트 | apartment | e-eo-keon | 에어컨 | air conditioner |
| o-ren-ji | 오렌지 | orange | ju-seu | 주스 | juice |
| cho-kol-lit | 초콜릿 | chocolate | ka-deu | 카드 | card |
| ca-me-ra | 카메라 | camera | kae-na-da | 캐나다 | Canada |
| keo-pi | 커피 | coffee | keom-pyu-teo | 컴퓨터 | computer |
| keop | 컵 | cup | col-la | 콜라 | cola |
| keu-ri-seu-ma-seu | 크리스마스 | Christmas | taek-si | 택시 | taxi |
| te-ni-seu | 테니스 | tennis | te-i-beul | 테이블 | table |
| tel-le-bi-jeon | 텔레비전 | television | ti-beu-i | 티브이 | TV |
| tim | 팀 | team | pa-ti | 파티 | party |
| peo-sen-teu | 퍼센트 | percent | ho-tel | 호텔 | hotel |
| pi-a-no | 피아노 | piano | pi-ja | 피자 | pizza |
| haen-deu-pon | 핸드폰 | hand-phone(cell phone) | haem-beo-geo | 햄버거 | hamburger |
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- Contemporary culture of South KoreaContemporary culture of South KoreaThe contemporary culture of South Korea developed from the traditional culture of Korea, and on its own path away from North Korean culture since the division of Korea in 1948. The industrialization and urbanization of South Korea, especially Seoul, have brought many changes to the way Korean...
- EngrishEngrishrefers to unusual forms of English language usage by native speakers of some East Asian languages. The term itself relates to Japanese speakers' tendency to inadvertently substitute the English phonemes "R" and "L" for one another, because the Japanese language has one alveolar consonant in place...