Vowels And Consonants

How To Learn Korean – vowels and consonants, casual learner

The Korean language is an ancient one, at least 6 centuries old.  It is known as Hangeul and consists of ten vowels and fourteen consonants.  As you may know, every language is a series of syllables woven together.  A syllable is formed by a combination of vowels and consonants.  This beautiful language spans from the left to right and is written in the up to down direction.  Among languages, learning Korean is a bit difficult.  There are, however, various resources for getting a grasp of the language for immediate purposes, say, while on a short-visit to the country or for communicating with a Korean national.  For the serious learner, there are formal classes conducted by universities and institutes, where you can sign up for classes. Step 1

Casual learner. You can learn Korean for casual or limited use through self-teaching books [some books come with audio tapes and discs that orient the listener in pronunciations].  Besides this, there are various web sites and online resources for a casual learner of the Korean language; some of these websites have content in graphic mode, thereby obviating the need for a Korean language plug-in on the computer.  These resources usually provide podcasts that one can listen to with a line-by-line transcript of the translation for understanding the words spoken on podcast.  One could test pronunciation through an online voice-recorder and playback mechanism.

Step 2

Formal training. Generally speaking, if you want to learn a particular foreign language, I have found that it is advisable to contact the Consulate/Embassy of that particular country, inquire from the relevant staff there [normally someone from the consular, culture or language departments]; they usually have valuable recommendations.  For learning Korean, look up for a School of foreign languages or a Department of East Asian Studies in the University in your city.  They normally have various programs starting from undergraduate training to a masters’ degree and PhD programs in foreign languages.  Most universities of repute and long-standing will have arrangements with Korean universities for reciprocal recognition of the degrees issued by each other, thus enabling one to apply for jobs in Korea.  They are also known to encourage foreign student exchange programs that allow the students to travel to Korea and to first-hand observe the country, its culture and practices.  Scholarship programs offered by the Korean government in these universities finance studies, travel abroad and incidental costs.

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