In Korean language sounds change in six different ways. On this lesson you will learn three of them:
- The assimilation of sound
- The shut consonants
- The strengthening of a sound
1. The assimilation of sound
The assimilation of sound means that a sound in a word is pronounced, under the influence of its foregoing or following sound, same as or alike to its foregoing or following sound.
There are 3 assimilations of sound:
1.1 The assimilation of sonants ㄴ[n] , ㅁ[m], ㄹ[r]
The sounds of ㄱ [k], ㄲ [gg] and ㅋ [k] are pronounced as ㅇ [ng] before a sonants.
For example:
독립 [tokrip] — independence
We read it as:
[동립] [tongrip] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㄹ present in the next syllabe.
닦는다 [taknunda] — to polish
We read as:
[당는다] [tangnunda] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㄴ present in the next syllabe.
부엌문 [puokmun] we read as:
[부엉문] [puongmun] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㅂ
The sound of ㅂ [p] ㅍ [p] are pronounced as ㅁ [m] before a sonant
법령 [popryong] — law
We read as:
[범령] [pomryong] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㄹ
앞문 [apmun] — front door
We read as:
[암문] [ammun] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㅁ
The sounds of ㄷ, ㅌ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅅ ㅆ are pronounced ㄴ before a sonant.
맏누이 [matnui] — the eldest sister
We read as:
[만누이] [mannui] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㄴ
밭머리 [patmori] — edge of a field
We read as:
[반머리] [banmori] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㅁ
젖먹이 [chotmogi] — suckling
We read as:
[전먹이] [chonmogi] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㅁ
꽃망울 [ggotmangul] — flower bud
We read as:
[꼰망울] [ggonmangul] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㅁ
잣나무 [chatnamu] — pine-nut tree
We read:
[잔나무] [channamu] as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㄴ
있느냐 [itnunya] is there?
We read:
[인느냐] [innunya] (as a result of the assimilation of the sonant ㄴ)
1.2. The assimilation of the sound ㄹ [l]
The sound ㄴ is pronounced as ㄹ before the sound ㄹ
단련 [tanlyon] — training
We read:
[달련] [tallyon] as a result of the assimilation of the sound ㄹ
The sound ㄴ is pronounced as ㄹ after the sound of ㄹ
설날 [solnal] — New Year’s Day
We read:
[설랄] [sollal] as a result of the assimilation of the sound ㄹ
1.3. The assimilation of the palatal
The sound of ㄷ is pronounced as ㅈ before the palatal ㅣ[i]
Example:
해돋이 [haetoti] — sunrise
We read:
[해돚이] [haetoji] as a result of the assimilation of the palatal ㅣ [i]
The sound of ㅌ is pronounced as ㅊ before the palatal ㅣ[i]
한결같이 [hangyolgati] — unanimously
We read:
[한결가치] [hangyolgachi] as a result of the assimilation of the palatal ㅣ [i]
2. The shut consonants
When a cosonant lies at the end of a word or before a voiceless sound, it is pronounced as a shut.
2.1 The sounds of ㅋ [k] and ㄲ [gg] are pronounced as a shut [k] at the end of a word or before a voiceless sound
Examples:
부엌 [puok] — kitchen
We read:
부억 [puok] (at the end of the word)
갂다 [ggaggda]
We read:
[각다] [ggakda] (before the voiceless sound ㄷ)
2.2 The sounds ㅌ [t], ㅈ [j], ㅊ [ch], ㅅ[s] andㅆ [ss] are pronounced as shut [t] at the end of a word or before voiceless sound
Examples:
밭 [pat] — field
We read:
[받] [pat]
낮 [naj] — day
We read as:
[낟] [nat] (at the end of the word)
돛대 [tochdae] — mast
We read as:
[돋대] [totdae] (before the voiceless sound ㄷ)
옷 [os] — clothes
We read as:
[옫] [ot] (at the end of the word)
있다 [issda] — to be
We read as:
[읻따] [itda] before the voiceless sound ㄷ)
2.3 The sound of ㅍ [p] is pronounced as shut ㅂ [p] at the end of a word or before a voiceless sound
Examples:
잎 [ip] — leaf
We read as:
[입] [ip] (at the end of the word)
덮다 [topda] — cover
We read as:
[덥따] [topda] before the voiceless sound of ㄷ
3. The strengthening of a sound
The strengthening of a sound means that a soft sound becomes a strong sound under the influence of the consonant which comes before it. But the strong sounds are transcribed as follows:
| gg -> g | dd -> d | bb -> b | ss -> s | jj -> j |
Examples:
빛갈 [빋깔] [bitggal] -> [bitgal] — colour
집단 [집딴] [chipddan] -> [chipdan] — group
늦봄 [늗뽐] [nutbbom] -> ]nutbom] — late spring
봄바람 [봄빠람] [pombbaram] -> [pombaram] — spring breeze
있소 [읻쏘] [itsso] –> [itso] — there is
극장 [극짱] [kukjjang] –> [kukjang] — theatre
3.1 A soft sound becomes a strong sound after a consonant which is not sonant
example:
집단 [chipdan] — collective
We read as:
[집딴] [chipddan] as a result of the strenghtening of the soft sound ㄷ after the voiceless sound of ㅂ
And [집딴] [chipddan] is transcribed as [chipdan]
3.2 After a sonant a soft sound becomes as follows:
3.2.1 A strong sound
봄바람 [pombaram] — spring breeze
We read:
[봄빠람] [pombbaram]
And [봄빠람] [pombbaram] is transcribed as [pombaram]
3.2.2 Not a strong sound
충성 [chungsong] — loyality
explanation:
The soft sound of ㅅ [s] does not become a strong sount after sonant ㅇ [ng]
