[Robert Fouser] Studying Korean and Chinese language characters

Studying Korean continues to develop in recognition world wide, however the velocity of development could also be slowing as the recognition of Okay-pop has plateaued. Universities in lots of international locations have seen a decline in second language studying as a part of a broader shift away from the humanities. Over time, this might lead to a weakening of essential institutional help for Korean lessons.

In response to the “2023 Duolingo Language Report,” an annual report produced by the favored language studying platform, Korean moved up one rank to displace Italian because the sixth most studied language on the planet. Korean was the preferred language in a single nation, Mongolia, and ranked eighth in that class, down from the fifth within the 2022 report. Korean was the second-most widespread language in six international locations, rating sixth, the identical as in 2022. Amongst Asian languages within the 2023 report, Korean is the second hottest after Japanese however is extra widespread than Chinese language, which ranked eighth.

Duolingo solely measures the usage of its platform for second language studying. Customers fluctuate extensively, however nearly all use it for self-study, both as a interest or to reinforce the instruction they’re receiving in a classroom someplace. Many learners use different instruments, equivalent to YouTube movies and translation platforms, with or and not using a specialised language studying platform.

Right now, learners of Korean have many extra choices than even 10 years in the past, not to mention the late twentieth century. For years, paper coursebooks, often written to be used in a language program, and paper dictionaries for Korean college students had been the one instruments obtainable. After I first began studying Korean in 1983, I used coursebooks that had been a part of the language program I used to be enrolled in. I additionally used two dictionaries (Korean-English, English-Korean) revealed by Minjungseorim that had been widespread with Korean college students on the time. Within the early phases, I used a phrase guide for vacationers however quickly outgrew it. Learner’s dictionaries and grammar reference books weren’t obtainable in 1983 however started to appear because the variety of learners grew within the Nineties.

Coursebooks are nonetheless utilized in Korean language packages, however dictionaries and reference books are actually principally digital. Within the late twentieth century, most learners of Korean had been enrolled in a language program, both of their residence nation or South Korea. Within the early twenty first century, the stability started to shift towards self-study as web sources grew to become extensively obtainable and the Hallyu increase stimulated curiosity in studying Korean, principally in Asia. Self-study continued to develop within the 2010s with the unfold of Okay-pop world wide and the increase in smartphone apps.

Again in 1983, I used one other dictionary revealed by Minjungseorim: A dictionary of Chinese language characters, or “okpyeon” as they had been generally referred to on the time. By the intermediate degree, the coursebook started to introduce Chinese language characters, as did different coursebooks in different packages. Although the usage of Chinese language characters was on the decline on the time, they had been thought of essential sufficient to incorporate to show learners of Korean. Reflecting this modification, they started to vanish from coursebooks within the early Nineties and have since nearly disappeared from instructing Korean as a second language.

For a lot of learners of Korean, the individuality of Hangeul and the convenience of studying is likely one of the most engaging issues about studying Korean. With solely 24 letters, it has tailored nicely to the digital age, significantly to social media on smartphones.

However do Chinese language characters have any worth for learners of Korean? For learners who intention to change into researchers of Korean historical past or tradition, Chinese language characters are required to know unique paperwork as much as the center of the twentieth century.

Solely a tiny variety of learners plan on educational careers in Korean historical past or tradition. For the remaining, Chinese language characters provide one predominant benefit: They assist increase vocabulary by drawing consideration to items of that means in phrases. This helps most with growing a receptive vocabulary for studying and listening as a result of it helps learners determine the that means of recent phrases. Having the ability to perceive extra raises confidence, which helps keep a constructive perspective towards studying.

Studying Chinese language characters takes time and requires dedication, nevertheless it needn’t be burdensome. Learners can begin with easy easy-to-memorize characters after which give attention to characters which might be frequent in phrase formation. Utilizing supplies developed for Korean college kids is useful. Ultimately, learners who stick to will probably be rewarded with a bigger, richer Korean vocabulary.

Robert J. Fouser

Robert J. Fouser, a former affiliate professor of Korean language training at Seoul Nationwide College, writes on Korea from Windfall, Rhode Island. He will be reached at robertjfouser@gmail.com. The views expressed listed here are the author’s personal. — Ed.