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Questions and Answers
Match the following Korean open vowels with their pronunciation:
A = Like in 'car' E = Like in 'net' O = Like in 'note' U = Like in 'boot'
Match the following Korean closed vowels with their pronunciation:
I = Like in 'beet' Y = Further back in the mouth, like 'ee' E = Like in 'net' O = Like in 'note'
Match the following Korean open vowels with their position in a syllable:
A = In the middle of the syllable E = In the middle of the syllable O = At the end of the syllable U = In the middle of the syllable
Match the following Korean closed vowels with their position in a syllable:
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Match the following Korean vowels with their representation in Hangul script:
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Study Notes
Korean Vowels
The Korean language contains five basic vowel sounds, which are often referred to as 'open' or 'closed' depending on their pronunciation. These vowels are represented by individual letters in the Hangul script. In this section, let us discuss these vowels:
Open vowels: The open vowels, also known as syllabic vowels, are pronounced with the tongue making contact with the roof of the mouth. There are four types of open vowels in Korean:
- A: This is pronounced as the English word 'a', like in 'car'. It represents the sound in the middle of the syllable. For example, in the word for pen, it is pronounced as 'banji'.
- E: This is pronounced as the English word 'e', like in 'net'. It represents the sound in the middle of the syllable.
- O: This is pronounced as the English word 'o', like in 'note'. It represents the sound at the end of the syllable.
- U: This is pronounced as the English word 'oo', like in 'boot'. It represents the sound in the middle of the syllable.
Closed vowels: The closed vowels are pronounced with the tongue not touching the roof of the mouth. There are two types of closed vowels in Korean:
- I: This is pronounced as the English word 'ee', like in 'beet'. It represents the sound in the beginning of the syllable.
- Y: This is pronounced as the English word 'ee', but further back in the mouth. It represents the sound at the end of a syllable.
While there are only five basic vowels in Hangul, a large number of words can be formed by combining these vowels with consonants. The vowels in isolation are pronounced as follows:
Open Vowels
| Vowel | IPA Transcription |
|---|---|
| A | /ɑː/ |
| E | /ɛ/ |
| O | /ɔː/ |
| U | /ʊː/ |
Closed Vowels
| Vowel | IPA Transcription |
|---|---|
| I | /i/ |
| Y | /ɯ/ |
In summary, the Korean language consists of five basic vowel sounds represented by individual letters in the Hangul script. These vowels are categorized as open or closed based on their pronunciation, with four open vowels and two closed vowels. Understanding these vowels is crucial for mastering the pronunciation and pronunciation rules of the Korean language.
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Description
Learn about the five basic vowel sounds in the Korean language, categorized as open and closed based on their pronunciation. Explore the pronunciation and characteristics of each vowel, represented by individual letters in the Hangul script.
