I already know how the writing system works! ^^
I'll explain it! =P So you can learn too!
There are 14 consonants and 10 vowels.. that means the Korean "alphabet" consists of only 24 "characters"! ^^ of course those "characters" can be combined to make all sorts of sounds..
The 14 consonants are:
ᄀ = G (pronounced as in [good])
ᄂ = N
ᄃ = D
ᄅ = R/L (pronouciation depends on whether it's the end or the beginning of the syllable; begin = R, end = L)
ᄆ = M
ᄇ = B
ᄉ = S (sometimes it's pronounced as SH)
ᄋ = - no sound
ᄌ = J (pronounced as in [jacket])
ᄎ = CH (pronounced as in [China])
ᄏ = K (pronounced as in [Kettle])
ᄐ = T
ᄑ = P
ᄒ = H
That were the 14 consonants, this are the 10 vowels:
ᅡ = ah (pronounced as in [Cheetah])
ᅣ = yah
ᅥ = oh (pronounced as in [wrong])
ᅧ = yoh
ᅩ = eo (pronounced as in [go])
ᅭ = yeo
ᅮ = oo (pronounced as in [book])
ᅲ = yoo (pronounced as [you])
ᅳ = eu (pronounced as in [new])
ᅵ = ee (pronounced as in [leave])
The basic rule of writing Hangul (Korean language writing system), is that each syllable should at least contain 1 consonant and 1 vowel..
As you noticed there is a consonant that has no sound value.. That one is used to form a syllable that has only the sound of a vowel.. Like "ee" or "ah"..
Reading a syllable in Hangul is generally done from left to right and then up to down. Depending on the consonant-vowel combination, there are a few combinations possible.
I'll take my name to demonstrate how the Hangul system works.
My name is Ma-ri-a, devided in syllables.
The consonant for M = ᄆ and the vowel for a = ᅡ
putting ᄆ andᅡ together like this 마 you'll get the character for "ma"
The same goes for ᄅ and ᅵ = 리 => "ri"
The last syllable, which is "a", consists of only one vowel in English, knowing that there must be 1 consonant AND 1 vowel to make a character, we have to add the ᄋ, which has no sound value..
The last character will be = 아
My name written in Hangul = 마리아
Now I'm very lucky, because my name only uses one of the simplest structures!! ^^
I have an idea, I'll write the names of all TVXQ members in Hangul, as examples on how to write in Hangul! =)
TVXQ, or DBSK:
Dong = 동
Bang = 방
Shin = 신
Ki = 기
The leader U-Know of TVXQ, Jung Yun Ho:
Jung = 정
Yun = 윤
Ho = 호
Hero of TVXQ, Kim Jae Joong:
Kim = 김
Jae = 재
Joong = 중
Micky of TVXQ, Park Yoo Chun:
Park = 박
Yoo = 유
Chun = 천
Xiah of TVXQ, Kim Jun Su:
Kim = 김
Jun = 준
Su = 수
Max of TVXQ, Shim Chang Min:
Shim = 심
Chang = 창
Min = 민
As you may have noticed the romanization can be very misleading to the pronounciation.. that's why learning to read Hangul makes it easier to know the exact pronounciation! =)
Another thing you may have noticed is that the last Hangul constructions (as shown in the picture) aren't used in the names of TVXQ members, that's because they are more difficult..
^^ Anyway, I hope you've learned something, =) I'll be going now! ^^
Byebye!! *waves* 안녕! ( = annyoung! )
~~~~~X~~~x~~~X~~~~~
Always keep the faith.. DBSK FIGHTING! *~Maria
