So much of my time is devoted to language, and I just finished a book that has given me a point of reference and helped me to partially understand what’s going on here.

Peter Hessler’s “Oracle Bones,” weaves China’s past, modern struggles and hopes for the future with interesting characters from all over the globe (with all sorts of specialties).

One of the greatest themes in the book is language — the purpose of its creation, its uses to both create and destroy and the way it builds perception and meaning in our world. It’s given me perspective on teaching English and learning Korean and the written system, Hangul.

The Chinese system of writing has thousands of symbols, and the language is tonal. Chinese was used in Korea before the Joseon Dynasty, when King Sejong simplified the language. Hangul first appeared in 1446, and its creation is celebrated annually on October 9.*

Hangul uses a total of 40 letters. Words will appear differently depending on how the word is transliterated. The most commonly used consonants:

ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅎ

and vowels (a bit different on wikipedia than the ones we’re studying):

ㄳ, ㄵ, ㄶ, ㄺ, ㄻ, ㄼ, ㄽ, ㄾ, ㄿ, ㅀ, ㅄ

Today AJ and I ordered on our own from one of our local restaurants, Kimbap Paradise. We’re able to read the menu, for the most part, and we can surmise what most of it means. It’s an exciting feeling: It’s amazing how much language has made us feel so much more at ease.

“Whenever a person studied another language, and went to another place — or even imagined it — there was a chance that he would gain a new perspective. He might misinterpret information, and the material might confuse him; I had seen that happen time and time again. But if there were patience and determination and honesty, then a glimpse outside might help somebody become more comfortable with his place in the world.” - Peter Hessler, “Oracle Bones,” p. 426

*From Moon Handbooks, South Korea

Your response: