A script modeled on the mouth
The Korean alphabet, Hangul is a featural writing system where the shapes of the letters graphically represent the speech organs used to create them. King Sejong the Great promulgated the script in 1443 to promote literacy among the common people, who struggled with the thousands of complex Chinese characters (Hanja) previously used. The design principles are detailed in the Hunminjeongeum Haerye, a manual published in 1446 that explains the new script.
The five basic consonant shapes are diagrams of articulatory phonetics.
- ㄱ (giyeok) represents the /k/ sound and models the shape of the back of the tongue raised against the soft palate.
- ㄴ (nieun) represents the /n/ sound and shows the shape of the tip of the tongue touching the upper gums, or alveolar ridge.
- ㅁ (mieum) represents the /m/ sound and outlines the shape of the closed mouth.
- ㅅ (siot) represents the /s/ sound and is a diagram of the shape of the teeth.
- ㅇ (ieung) represents the glottal sound and is a simple outline of the throat.
More complex consonants are derived from these five basic forms by adding strokes. The extra strokes indicate phonetic features like aspiration or tension. For example, adding a stroke to the basic alveolar consonant ㄴ /n/ creates ㄷ /d/, and another stroke creates ㅌ /t/. This systematic approach makes the relationship between sounds and symbols consistent and easy to learn.
Vowels of heaven, earth, and humanity
The vowels in Hangul are based on a different but systematic set of principles based on neo-Confucian philosophy. They are derived from just three simple components.
- A dot ㆍ (arae-a) symbolizes the roundness of Heaven (Yang). In modern Hangul, this dot has morphed into a short stroke.
- A horizontal line ㅡ (eu) symbolizes the flat Earth (Yin).
- A vertical line ㅣ (i) symbolizes a standing Human, the neutral mediator between Heaven and Earth.
All other vowels are created by combining these three elements. For instance, combining the "Heaven" dot with the "Human" line creates ㅏ /a/ and ㅓ /eo/. Combining the dot with the "Earth" line creates ㅗ /o/ and ㅜ /u/. Doubling the dots creates iotized vowels like ㅑ /ya/ and ㅛ /yo/. The original design also incorporated principles of vowel harmony, separating vowels into "bright" (Yang) and "dark" (Yin) groups. Letters are grouped into syllable blocks, with each block always containing at least one consonant and one vowel. This structure allows for an efficient arrangement of phonetic information.