[Robert J. Fouser] Linguistic myths about Hangeul

Oct. 9 was Hangeul Day, named after the ingenious Korean writing system developed under the direction of King Sejong the Great from 1443 to 1446. This year marked the 570th anniversary of the promulgation of Hangeul in 1446.

For linguists, Hangeul Day is special because it is the only national holiday honoring a writing system. (North Korea commemorates Hangeul on Jan. 15, but not as a national holiday.)

Geoffrey Sampson, a leading expert on writing systems, said, “Whether or not it is ultimately the best of all conceivable scripts for Korean, Hangeul must be unquestionably ranked as one of the greatest intellectual achievements of humankind.” Hangeul stands out as the unique and defining characteristic of the Korean language.

As a linguist, I share other linguists’ enthusiasm for Hangeul. It is, to borrow Steve Jobs words, “insanely great.” Though not dampened, my enthusiasm for Hangeul is frustrated by a number of linguistic myths that continue to live on irresponsibly in the media.

The most common myth is that Hangeul is superior to other writing systems.

The predictability of the “What do you think about the superiority of Hangeul” question makes it all the more grating. Much of the problem comes from translating the Korean word “usuhada” as “superior.” It could better be translated into “excellent,” “superb” or “outstanding.”

For linguists, the problem with the question comes from a deep-seated aversion to ranking languages according to some kind of subjective scale.

It is impossible to argue that one language is “richer” or “more beautiful” than another. Linguists believe that all languages are equal but different, and they know well that ranking languages feeds into dangerous notions of national, ethnic and racial superiority.

Hangeul fascinates linguists not because it is superior, but because it has features not found in other writing systems. Its prominent feature is how some of its characters show the position of the tongue and shape of the mouth when making sounds. Koreans are taught in school that this is “scientific,” but a more accurate term would be “linguistic.” Being scientific or linguistic, however, makes Hangeul unique, not superior.

Another myth is that Hangeul can be “globalized.” The myth is a post-1990s offshoot of nationalism involving Hangeul superiority.

I have been asked to comment on the “globalization of Hangeul” often, but have always demanded that the question be rephrased. Some of those who asked the question had confused Hangeul with the Korean language and had actually intended to ask about the teaching and learning of Korean as a second language. Though frustrating, this confusion can be quickly corrected by explaining that a language is different from a writing system.

Others assume that Hangeul can be turned into an exportable commodity, like K-pop, that can help promote Korea. The problem, of course, is that it is very difficult to create a brand with a writing system, as it makes no sense to people who cannot read it. The teaching and learning of languages can be promoted and branded, and writing systems only have meaning as part of such efforts. 

If the goal is to raise global awareness of Hangeul as a unique Korean cultural product, then promoting Korean as a second language is the best way to do it. In almost all Korean language programs, Hangeul is taught quickly at the first stage of learning.

An extreme version of the globalization myth suggests that Hangeul should be exported as a writing system for languages that lack their own writing system. The problem with this idea is that Hangeul was developed specifically for Koreans, and reflects -- as King Sejong the Great planned so well -- the sounds of Korean, not other languages.

To use Hangeul effectively, new letters or markings might need to be developed, much like how the Vietnamese adapted the Roman alphabet to their needs. Most small languages adopt the writing system of a large or dominant language nearby.

A lighter version of globalization focuses on using Hangeul as a design element, particularly in fashion. Hangeul scarves, neckties and coffee mugs are fun, but their appeal is limited to people who know what Hangeul is and want to display it.

Hangeul superiority and Hangeul globalization -- the two most common myths about the writing system -- should be retired for good.

Hangeul is not superior and the globalization of Hangeul is not going to happen. Hangeul is many wonderful things, including being “one of the greatest intellectual achievements of humankind,” but it is not inherently better than other writing systems.

Promoting Korean through second-language education is the best way to raise awareness of Hangeul around the world.

By Robert J. Fouser

Robert J. Fouser is a former associate professor of Korean language education at Seoul National University. He writes on Korea from Ann Arbor, Michigan. -- Ed.