Korean dialects explained

Korean
Speakers:75 million
Date:2007
Ref:[1]
Familycolor:altaic
Fam1:Koreanic
Dia1:Hamgyŏng (NE)
Dia2:Pyŏngan (NW)
Dia3:Central
Dia4:Gyeongsang (SE)
Dia5:Jeolla (SW)
Dia6:Jeju (obsolete)
Dia7:Yukchin (?)
Iso1:ko
Iso2:kor
Iso3:kor
Glotto:kore1280
Glottorefname:Korean
Glottofoot:no
Map:File:Korean dialect zones.svg
Mapcaption:Korean dialects in Korea and neighboring areas

A number of Korean dialects are spoken on the Korean Peninsula. The peninsula is very mountainous and each dialect's "territory" corresponds closely to the natural boundaries between different geographical regions of Korea. Most of the dialects are named for one of the traditional Eight Provinces of Korea. Two are sufficiently distinct from the others to be considered separate languages, the Jeju and the Yukjin languages.

Dialect areas

Korea is a mountainous country, and this could be the main reason why Korean is divided into numerous small local dialects. There are few clear demarcations, so dialect classification is necessarily to some extent arbitrary and based on the traditional provinces.A common classification, originally introduced by Shinpei Ogura in 1944 and adjusted by later authors, identifies six dialect areas:

Hamgyŏng (Northeastern)
  • Spoken in the Hamgyong Province (Kwanbuk and Kwannam) region, the northeast corner of Pyongan Province, and the Ryanggang Province of North Korea as well as Jilin, Heilongjiang of Northeast China; Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan of former Soviet Union. Nine vowels: the eight of the standard language plus ö.
    Pyongan (Northwestern)
  • Spoken in Pyongyang, Pyongan Province, Chagang Province, and neighboring Liaoning, of China. The basis of the alleged standard language for North Korea.
    Central dialects
  • The central dialect refers to a dialect generally used in the surrounding areas of Hwanghae Province, Gangwon Province (Kangwon Province), and Chungcheong Province, centering on Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Depending on scholars, it is divided into the Gyeonggi dialect (Central dialect) and Chungcheong dialect from the beginning, or subdivided into Gyeonggi dialect, Gangwon dialect, Hwanghae dialect, and Chungcheong dialect. The central dialect region is very large, so it is not easy to extract features common to all regions. Among its characteristics, it is more difficult to extract the unique characteristics of the central dialect. For example, which dialect has an intonation as a phonological list is very important in the dialect compartment. Most of the central dialects do not have intonations, but they have intonations in Yeongdong, Gangwon Province, as well as Pyeongchang, Jeongseon, and Yeongwol, the surrounding Yeongseo regions. In the case of vocabulary, the difference is so severe that we do not know how many pieces the central dialect will be divided into. Therefore, the characteristics of the central dialect, which correspond to all regions of the central dialect region, are extremely rare, and if there is such a feature, it is easy to be found in other dialects rather than just the central dialect. Therefore, it may be close to the fact that it is the central dialect that combines the remaining dialects except for other dialects where distinct characteristics are observed, rather than having a specific phenomenon observed only in the central dialect. Since the central dialect consists of sub-dialects that are more heterogeneous than other dialects, it is more likely to be divided into several sub-dialects than any other dialect. Usually, it seems that it can be divided into five sub-dialects.

    spoken in the Chungcheong Province (Hoseo) region of South Korea, including the metropolitan city of Daejeon.[2] The dialect of Chungcheong Province is a dialect with the most elements of the Jeolla dialect among the Central dialects, and can also be divided into the other. Some parts of South Chungcheong Province, including Daejeon and Sejong, are classified as southern dialects such as the Jeolla and Gyeongsang dialects.

    spoken in Yeongdong, Gangwon Province (South Korea) and neighboring Kangwon Province (North Korea) to the east of the Taebaek Mountains. Yeongdong is quite distinct from the Central Korean dialects to the west of the mountains. There are many elements of the Gyeongsang dialect, and sometimes the Hamgyŏng dialect is mixed, and it has many characteristics that are not present in the rest of the Central dialect.

    spoken in Hwanghae Province of North Korea. The Hwanghae dialect is a dialect with the most elements of the Pyongan dialect among the Central dialects, and can also be divided into the other. Hwanghae dialect was commonly included among the Central dialects, but some researchers argue that it does not fit there comfortably. Because the division between South Korea and North Korea has prolonged, the Hwanghae dialect has been strongly influenced by the Pyongan dialect, and now more and more people see it as a sub-dialect of the Pyongan dialect, not the Central dialect.

    In any case, the central dialect can be said to be a dialect that can vary in various areas of the dialect depending on the criteria for the dialect compartment. For example, Hwanghae, Gyeonggi, Gangwon and Chungcheong are usually grouped together as the Central dialect region. But, many view that only Hwanghae, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon dialects are included in the central dialect, while Chungcheong dialect is considered as separate dialect.

    Gyeongsang (Southeastern)
  • Spoken in Gyeongsang Province (Yeongnam) of South Korea, including the cities of Busan, Daegu and Ulsan. This dialect is easily distinguished from the Seoul dialect because its pitch is more varied. Six vowels, i, e, a, eo, o, u.
    Jeolla (Southwestern)
  • Spoken in the Jeolla Province (Honam) region of South Korea, including the city of Gwangju. Ten vowels: i, e, ae, a, ü, ö, u, o, eu, eo.
    Jeju
  • Spoken on Jeju Island off the southwest coast of South Korea and is sometimes considered a separate Koreanic language. The nine vowels of Middle Korean, including arae-a (ɔ). May have additional consonants as well.Several linguists have suggested that a further dialect area should be split from the Northeastern dialects:
    Ryukchin (Yukchin)
  • Spoken in the historical Yukchin region which is located in the northern part of North Hamgyong Province, far removed from P'yŏng'an, but has more in common with P'yŏng'an dialects than with the surrounding Hamgyŏng dialects. Since it has been isolated from the major changes of Korean language, it has preserved distinct features of Middle Korean. It is the only known tonal Korean language.[3]

    A recent statistical analysis of these dialects suggests that the hierarchical structure within these dialects are highly uncertain, meaning that there is no quantitative evidence to support a family-tree-like relationship among them.

    Some researchers classify the Korean dialects in Western and Eastern dialects. Compared with Middle Korean, the Western dialects have preserved long vowels, while the Eastern dialects have preserved tones or pitch accent. The Jeju language and some dialects in North Korean make no distinction between vowel length or tone. But the Southeastern dialect and the Northeastern dialect may not be closely related to each other genealogically.

    Standard language

    Korean is a pluricentric language:

    Despite North–South differences in the Korean language, the two standards are still broadly intelligible. One notable feature within the divergence is the North's lack of anglicisms and other foreign borrowings due to isolationism and self-reliancepure/invented Korean words are used in replacement.[4]

    Usage of regional dialects have been decreasing in both North and South due to social factors. In North Korea, the central government is urging its citizens to use the northern standard language to prevent the use of foul language by the people: Kim Jong Un said in a speech "if your language in life is cultural and polite, you can achieve harmony and comradely unity among people."[5] In South Korea, due to relocation in the population to Seoul to find jobs and the usage of standard language in education and media, the prevalence of regional dialects has decreased.[6] The standard is also commonly used among younger Koreans nationwide and in online contexts. It is the form most widely taught internationally, and has received a further boost from the increasing popularity of K-pop.

    Outside of the Korean peninsula

    Koryo-mar, based on Hamgyong and Ryukchin dialects, is spoken by the Koryo-saram, ethnic Koreans in the post-Soviet states of Central Asia. It consists of a Korean base vocabulary, but takes many loanwords and calques from Russian language.

    Sakhalin Korean Language (사할린 한국어), usually identified as a descendant of the southern dialect, is spoken by the Sakhalin Korean.

    Examples of regional dialects

    Hamgyŏng

    Rasŏn, most of Hamgyŏng region, northeast P'yŏngan, Ryanggang Province (North Korea), Jilin (China).

    Honorific
    MunhwaŏHamgyŏngRyukjin
    Korean: 하십시오 (hasibsio)Korean: 합소(세) (Habso(se))Korean: 합쇼 (Habsyo)
    Korean: 해요 (haeyo)Korean: 하오 (Hao)Korean: 하오 (Hao)
    Ordinary way of speaking (near Hamhung, Hyesan)

    P'yŏngan

    P'yŏngan region, P'yŏngyang, Chagang, northern North Hamgyŏng (North Korea), Liaoning (China)

    Honorific
    Ordinary way of speaking

    Hwanghae

    Hwanghae region (North Korea). Also in the Islands of Yeonpyeongdo, Baengnyeongdo and Daecheongdo in Ongjin County of Incheon.

    Honorific
    Ordinary way of speaking
    Areas in Northwest Hwanghae, such as Ongjin County in Hwanghae Province, pronounced 'ㅈ' (j), originally pronounced the letter more closely to tz. However, this has largely disappeared.The rest is almost similar to the Gyeonggi and Pyongan dialect.

    Gyeonggi

    Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi region (South Korea), as well as Kaeseong, Gaepoong and Changpung in North Korea.

    Honorific
    Ordinary way of speaking

    Gangwon

    Yeongseo (Gangwon (South Korea)/Kangwŏn (North Korea) west of the Taebaek Mountains), Yeongdong (Gangwon (South Korea)/Kangwŏn (North Korea), east of the Taebaek Mountains)

    Honorific
    Ordinary way of speaking

    Chungcheong

    Daejeon, Sejong, Chungcheong region (South Korea)

    Honorific
    Ordinary way of speaking

    The rest is almost similar to the Gyeonggi dialect.

    Jeolla

    Gwangju, Jeolla region (South Korea)

    Honorific
    Ordinary way of speaking
    Famously, natives of Southern Jeolla pronounce certain combinations of vowels in Korean more softly, or omit the latter vowel entirely.However, in the case of '모대(modae)', it is also observed in South Chungcheong Province and some areas of southern Gyeonggi Province close to South Chungcheong Province.

    The rest is almost similar to the Chungcheong dialect.

    Gyeongsang

    Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, Gyeongsang region (South Korea)

    Honorific
    Ordinary way of speaking

    The rest is almost similar to the Jeolla dialect.

    Jeju

    Jeju Island/Province (South Korea); sometimes classified as a separate language in the Koreanic language family

    example: Hangul

    Honorific

    See also

    Bibliography

    Further reading

    Notes and References

    1. [Nationalencyklopedin]
    2. Book: 대전 사람들은 사투리를 안 쓴다?. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/vGftYZiEw-Q . 2021-12-22 . live. 중도일보. 2019. ko. People in Daejeon don't speak in dialect?.
    3. http://trs.library.nenu.edu.cn/pub/dbmssjk/cxz/mzwh/201112/t20111205_47675.htm 朝鲜语六镇话的方言特点
    4. News: North Chides South for Dirtying Korean Tongue. December 18, 2005. Seo. Dong-shin. The Korea Times. Seoul, South Korea. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20060101205339/http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200512/kt2005121818531411980.htm. January 1, 2006. October 23, 2019.
    5. News: 정아란. 북한, 사투리·외래어·한자어 배격…"고유한 평양말 쓰자". 12 May 2020. Yonhap News Agency. Korean. 26 November 2020. 28 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128175746/https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20200512079400504. live.
    6. 새국어생활. National Institute of Korean Language. 이기갑. 표준어와 방언의 오늘과 내일. Korean. 26 November 2020. 6 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231106134734/https://www.korean.go.kr/common/error404.jsp. live.
    7. News: ko:[공감세상] 삼척을 고향으로 대는 이유 . . 주승현 . https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/opinion/column/906597.html . 27 April 2023 . 29 August 2021 . 27 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230427185342/https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/opinion/column/906597.html . live .
    8. News: 내래 밥 먹었지비? 평안·함경도 말 뒤섞인 엉터리 . 28 April 2023 . 28 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230428064126/https://www.chosun.com/culture-life/culture_general/mal_moi/2020/09/15/FS3RZVPTCNG2ZCVPQ7BLMPJHLA/ . live .
    9. Book: 김영배 . 서북 방언 . 58 . 28 April 2023 . 20 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220920173159/https://www.korean.go.kr/nkview/nklife/1998_4/1998_0403.pdf . live .
    10. Web site: 김병제 . . 21 May 2023 . 21 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230521073629/https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0074713 . live .
    11. Web site: 황해도 방언 . . 21 May 2023 . 21 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230521073629/https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0078674 . live .
    12. Web site: '서울 사투리?' 방송 인터뷰 모음.zip. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/zuMa34CYaNM. 2021-12-11 . live. YouTube. 29 March 2021. ko. 'Seoul dialect?' Collection of interviews.zip.
    13. Web site: 90년대 말투는 서울 사투리가 아니다?...서울 사투리 특징 3가지. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/RjIi8f9nKuE. 2021-12-11 . live. YouTube. 24 July 2018. ko. The way people talk in the 90s is not a Seoul dialect?...Three characteristics of Seoul dialect.
    14. Web site: 수원 사투리 쓰는 이창섭. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/WdnxSgaFN7s. 2021-12-11 . live. YouTube. 4 July 2018. ko. Lee Chang-seop speaks Suwon dialect..