20 In Korean learning journey (:/ Korean sounds/pronunciation/ korean textbook reviews

며칠? 몇 일?

Currently reading this book titled 인터넷에서 가장 많이 틀리는 한국어. It talks about the common mistakes that even Koreans make – in writing/speaking etc. It’s a great book for us Korean learners and it’s interesting to compare the kinds of mistakes we make. Sometimes, there are some mistakes that I’ll never make, but they may still be confusing to native speakers. I attribute that to the different ways we learn Korean. We are more sensitive to the grammar and the importance of rules etc.

One of the most common mistakes we make is 몇 일. It should be 며칠 instead. For Korean, the writing system and the pronunciation is highly interdependent. We have to pronounce the way it is written (according to the rules). If we write it as 몇 일, it will be pronounced as [면닐] which is obviously WRONG.

The book gives an excellent explanation on some of the sound changes in Korean. Examples below adapted from the book.

  • 옷이 예쁘다
  • 옷 안에 있다

Why is the first one pronounced as [오시] while the 2nd one is pronounced as [오단] even though they are both followed by ㅇ? It has become intuitive to me, but after reading the book, I finally know the concrete explanation. It has nothing to do with the spacing, but rather that 이 in the first case is a particle, while 안 is a meaningful character (inside). This is why only the 2nd ㅅ will undergo sound changes while the first ㅅ is brought over as it is.

(As you can see, I’ve conveniently combined the book review together with my post! This is called being lazy) But this is my 3rd post of the day! So ironic. >,<

My current

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20 Comments

  • Reply
    Aneta
    21 March, 2011 at 11:34 PM

    Good to know more about Korean pronunciation! Honestly speaking, I’m very suspicious towards those learners of Korean that claim that Korean pronunciation is easy. I’d rather say that it’s really tricky ;>

    By the way, I was stalking your blog and I have to say that it’s so much fun reading your posts! ^^

    • Reply
      hangukdrama
      22 March, 2011 at 10:06 AM

      yeah sometimes i cant stand it when people tell me they managed to learn how to pronounce every word in Korean within a few days. >.< the sound changes in Korean is so much more complex than that.

      thanks for liking my blog! 😀 😀

      • Reply
        mishmash
        22 March, 2011 at 11:17 AM

        Imma gonna buy that book now.
        Korean sound changes is a pain in the posterior, but imagine how much stress english learners have too when it comes to English.

        ‘Read’ can be read in two different ways depending on the context.

      • Reply
        hangukdrama
        22 March, 2011 at 7:40 PM

        Sometimes I think English has even more complex pronunciation rules and exceptions. I’m really glad my native languages are English and Chinese. Chinese is real difficult to learn as a foreign language >,<

      • Reply
        mishmash
        23 March, 2011 at 12:37 AM

        I think my chinese is at primary one level. 😛
        Can’t blame me since I grew up in a non-speaking enviroment. I only really got regular exposure to it when i was 16-17.

        Now I wish I had gone for Chinese classes if only because it would help me with Korean. XD

      • Reply
        mishmash
        23 March, 2011 at 12:38 AM

        NON-CHINESE speaking enviroment. haha

  • Reply
    owbEe
    22 March, 2011 at 1:35 PM

    Is that book written in Korean or English? I also like your blog Shanna. It’s really entertaining and informative. 😀

    • Reply
      hangukdrama
      22 March, 2011 at 7:39 PM

      Thanks!! (: haven’t seen you around (the online world) for quite some time! how’ve u been? (: the book is written in korean!

      • Reply
        owbEe
        23 March, 2011 at 1:22 PM

        I’ve been sick for almost a month, but I’m okay now.

        Oh, I see. I won’t understand it then. I might buy it when I already understand Korean. 😀

  • Reply
    Jeannie
    22 March, 2011 at 10:19 PM

    I’ve seen this! I think spelling is important too and of course spacing! When Koreans text message each other most of the time they use slang and no space at all. Made me confused at first~

  • Reply
    Von
    24 March, 2011 at 10:14 PM

    Hello! May I know where you got that book? ^_^

    • Reply
      hangukdrama
      24 March, 2011 at 10:41 PM

      I bought that in Korea, i think it will be available online in gmarket ^^

  • Reply
    Irene Low
    29 March, 2011 at 8:56 PM

    Hi Shanna

    옷이 예쁘다 this is pronounced as 오시예쁘다 .
    What about this 옷 안에 있다? Is the ㅅ pronounced out? ie pronounciation is same as written?

    Please enlighten : )

    Thanks

  • Reply
    hangukdrama
    29 March, 2011 at 9:08 PM

    it is pronounced as 오단….. i’ve written the explanation in the post ^^

    • Reply
      Irene Low
      30 March, 2011 at 7:02 PM

      Thanks, Shanna.

      Still find it difficult to learn about the sound change.

      Do you have to memorise the rules? Just curious.

      Please do a post on sound change and pronunciation rules…..

      Appreciate that!

      Thanks!

  • Reply
    Vivian
    27 May, 2012 at 6:51 PM

    Hello ! I am a new reader, and I would like to ask if there is any bookstore in Singapore selling Korean storybooks?

    • Reply
      hangukdrama
      10 October, 2012 at 10:58 AM

      eeeeeks i must have missed your comment D: erm not that i know of right now

  • Reply
    Elley
    10 October, 2012 at 10:18 AM

    Hi, wondering where you bought this in Korea?

    • Reply
      hangukdrama
      10 October, 2012 at 10:58 AM

      bought this in the yonsei bookstore in the campus!

      • Reply
        Elley
        11 October, 2012 at 9:39 AM

        awwww, i see…. Thought of getting 1 when I’m in Korea… 🙁

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