Editing Korean language (section)

==Phonology==
{{Main|Korean phonology}}

[[File:Ko-구매자는 판매자에게 제품 대금으로 20달러를 지급하여야 한다.ogg|thumb|right|Spoken Korean (adult man):{{Break}}
구매자는 판매자에게 제품 대금으로 20달러를 지급하여야 한다.{{Break}}
''gumaejaneun panmaejaege jepum daegeumeuro isip dalleoreul ($20) jigeuphayeoya handa.''{{Break}}
"The buyer must pay the seller $20 for the product."{{Break}}''lit.'' [the buyer] [to the seller] [the product] [in payment] [twenty dollars] [have to pay] [do]]]
Korean syllable structure is (C)(G)V(C), consisting of an optional onset consonant, glide {{IPA|/j, w, ɰ/}} and final coda {{IPA|/p, t, k, m, n, ŋ, l/}} surrounding a core vowel.

===Consonants===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="2" |
![[Bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]
![[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Alveolo-palatal consonant|Alveolo-<br />palatal]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
![[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal stop|Nasal]]
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅁ|ㅁ]]}} {{IPAslink|m}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㄴ|ㄴ]]}} {{IPAslink|n}}
|
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅇ|ㅇ]]}} {{IPAslink|ŋ}}{{efn-ua|only at the end of a syllable}}
|
|-
! rowspan="3" |[[Plosive]]/<br />[[Affricate]]
!<small>plain</small>
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅂ|ㅂ]]}} {{IPAslink|p}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㄷ|ㄷ]]}} {{IPAslink|t}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅈ|ㅈ]]}} {{IPAslink|t͡s}} or {{IPAslink|t͡ɕ}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㄱ|ㄱ]]}} {{IPAslink|k}}
|
|-
! <small>[[tenseness#Consonants|tense]]</small>
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅃ|ㅃ]]}} {{IPA|/p͈/}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㄸ|ㄸ]]}} {{IPA|/t͈/}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅉ|ㅉ]]}} {{IPA|/t͡s͈/}} or {{IPA|/t͡ɕ͈/}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㄲ|ㄲ]]}} {{IPA|/k͈/}}
|
|-
! <small>aspirated</small>
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅍ|ㅍ]]}} {{IPA|/pʰ/}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅌ|ㅌ]]}} {{IPA|/tʰ/}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅊ|ㅊ]]}} {{IPA|/t͡sʰ/}} or {{IPA|/t͡ɕʰ/}}
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅋ|ㅋ]]}} {{IPA|/kʰ/}}
|
|-
! rowspan=2|[[Fricative]]
! <small>plain</small>
|
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅅ|ㅅ]]}} {{IPAslink|s}} or {{IPA|/ɕ/}}
|
|
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅎ|ㅎ]]}} {{IPAslink|h}}
|-
! <small>tense</small>
|
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㅆ|ㅆ]]}} {{IPA|/s͈/}} or {{IPA|/ɕ͈/}}
|
|
|
|-
! colspan=2|[[Approximant]]
| {{IPAslink|w}}{{efn-ua|name=semivowels|The semivowels {{IPA|/w/}} and {{IPA|/j/}} are represented in Korean writing by modifications to vowel symbols (see below).}}
|
| {{IPAslink|j}}{{efn-ua|name=semivowels}}
|
|
|-
! colspan=2|[[Liquid consonant|Liquid]]
|
| {{lang|ko|[[wikt:ㄹ|ㄹ]]}} {{IPAslink|l}} or {{IPAslink|ɾ}}
|
|
|
|}
{{notelist|group=upper-alpha}}

====Assimilation and allophony====
The [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] symbol {{angbr IPA|◌͈}} ({{unichar|0348|cwith=◌}}) is used to denote the [[Tenseness|tensed]] consonants {{IPA|/p͈/, /t͈/, /k͈/, /t͡ɕ͈/, /s͈/}}. Its official use in the [[Extensions to the International Phonetic Alphabet|extensions to the IPA]] is for [[Fortis and lenis|"strong"]] articulation, but is used in the literature for [[faucalized voice]]. The Korean consonants also have elements of [[stiff voice]], but it is not yet known how typical this is of faucalized consonants. They are produced with a partially constricted [[glottis]] and additional subglottal pressure in addition to tense vocal tract walls, laryngeal lowering, or other expansion of the larynx.

{{IPA|/s/}} is aspirated {{IPA|[sʰ]}} and becomes an [[alveolo-palatal consonant|alveolo-palatal]] {{IPA|[ɕʰ]}} before {{IPA|[j]}} or {{IPA|[i]}} for most speakers (but see [[North–South differences in the Korean language]]). This occurs with the tense fricative and all the affricates as well. At the end of a syllable, {{IPA|/s/}} changes to {{IPA|/t/}} (example: beoseot ({{lang|ko|버섯}}) 'mushroom').<!-- it's actually much more complicated than this, isn't it?-->

{{IPA|/h/}} may become a [[bilabial consonant|bilabial]] {{IPA|[ɸ]}} before {{IPA|[o]}} or {{IPA|[u]}}, a [[palatal consonant|palatal]] {{IPA|[ç]}} before {{IPA|[j]}} or {{IPA|[i]}}, a [[velar consonant|velar]] {{IPA|[x]}} before {{IPA|[ɯ]}}, a voiced {{IPA|[ɦ]}} between voiced sounds, and a {{IPA|[h]}} elsewhere.

{{IPA|/p, t, t͡ɕ, k/}} become voiced {{IPA|[b, d, d͡ʑ, ɡ]}} between voiced sounds.

{{IPA|/m, n/}} frequently denasalize at the beginnings of words.

{{IPA|/l/}} becomes alveolar flap {{IPA|[ɾ]}} between vowels, and {{IPA|[l]}} or {{IPA|[ɭ]}} at the end of a syllable or next to another {{IPA|/l/}}. A written syllable-final '{{lang|ko|ㄹ}}', when followed by a vowel or a glide (''i.e.'', when the next character starts with '{{lang|ko|ㅇ}}'), migrates to the next syllable and thus becomes {{IPA|[ɾ]}}.

Traditionally, {{IPA|/l/}} was disallowed at the beginning of a word. It disappeared before {{IPA|[j]}}, and otherwise became {{IPA|/n/}}. However, the inflow of western [[Konglish|loanwords]] changed the trend, and now word-initial {{IPA|/l/}} (mostly from English loanwords) are pronounced as a free variation of either {{IPA|[ɾ]}} or {{IPA|[l]}}.

All [[obstruent]]s (plosives, affricates, fricatives) at the end of a word are pronounced with [[no audible release]], {{IPA|[p̚, t̚, k̚]}}.

Plosive sounds {{IPA|/p, t, k/}} become nasals {{IPA|[m, n, ŋ]}} before nasal sounds.

[[Hangul]] spelling does not reflect these assimilatory pronunciation rules, but rather maintains the underlying, partly historical [[morphology (linguistics)|morphology]]. Given this, it is sometimes hard to tell which actual phonemes are present in a certain word.

The traditional prohibition of word-initial {{IPA|/ɾ/}} became a morphological rule called "initial law" ({{lang|ko|두음법칙}}) in the pronunciation standards of  South Korea, which pertains to Sino-Korean vocabulary. Such words retain their word-initial {{IPA|/ɾ/}} in the pronunciation standards of North Korea. For example,
* "labor" (勞動) – north: '''''r'''odong'' ({{lang|ko|로동}}), south: '''''n'''odong'' ({{lang|ko|노동}})
* "history" (歷史) – north: '''''ry'''eoksa'' ({{lang|ko|력사}}), south: '''''y'''eoksa'' ({{lang|ko|역사}})
* "female" (女子) – north: '''''ny'''eoja'' ({{lang|ko|녀자}}), south: '''''y'''eoja'' ({{lang|ko|여자}})

===Vowels===
[[File:Korean_short_vowel_chart.svg|thumb|[[Short vowel]] chart]]
[[File:Korean_long_vowel_chart.svg|thumb|[[Long vowel]] chart]]

The standard Korean monophthongs and their pronunciation principles<ref name="korean.go.kr">{{cite web |script-title=ko:표준어 규정-표준 발음법 |url=https://korean.go.kr/kornorms/regltn/regltnView.do?regltn_code=0002&regltn_no=346#a346 |website=한국어 어문 규범 |publisher=[[National Institute of Korean Language]] |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref> are as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Monophthongs
|{{lang|ko|ㅏ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/a/}}{{ref|ㅏ|[A]}}<br />{{lang|ko|ㅓ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/ʌ/}} or {{IPA|/ə/}}{{ref|ㅓ|[B]}}<br />{{lang|ko|ㅗ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/o/}}<br />{{lang|ko|ㅜ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/u/}}<br />{{lang|ko|ㅡ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/ɯ/}}<br />{{lang|ko|ㅣ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/i/}}<br />{{IPA|/e/}} {{lang|ko|ㅔ}}, &nbsp;{{IPA|/ɛ/}} {{lang|ko|ㅐ}},&nbsp;{{IPA|/ø/}} {{lang|ko|ㅚ}}, &nbsp;{{IPA|/y/}} {{lang|ko|ㅟ}}
|-
!Vowels preceded by intermediaries,<br />or diphthongs
|{{lang|ko|ㅑ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/ja/}}<br />{{lang|ko|ㅕ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/jʌ/}} or {{IPA|/jə/}}<br />{{lang|ko|ㅛ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/jo/}}<br />{{lang|ko|ㅠ}}&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;{{IPA|/ju/}}<br />{{IPA|/je/}} {{lang|ko|ㅖ}}, &nbsp;{{IPA|/jɛ/}} {{lang|ko|ㅒ}}, &nbsp;{{IPA|/we/}} {{lang|ko|ㅞ}}, &nbsp;{{IPA|/wɛ/}} {{lang|ko|ㅙ}}, &nbsp;{{IPA|/wa/}} {{lang|ko|ㅘ}}, &nbsp;{{IPA|/ɰi/}} {{lang|ko|ㅢ}}, &nbsp;{{IPA|/wʌ/}} {{lang|ko|ㅝ}}
|}
{{note|ㅏ|[A]}} {{lang|ko|ㅏ}} is closer to a [[near-open central vowel]] ({{IPA|[ɐ]}}), though {{angbr|a}} is still used for tradition.

{{note|ㅓ|[B]}} ㅓ is generally pronounced as [ə] when it becomes a long vowel.

However, in Korea, with the exception of older generations in certain regions, most people neither pronounce nor distinguish clearly between the two monophthongs 'ㅐ' (ae) and 'ㅔ' (e). Similarly, 'ㅟ' and 'ㅚ' are sometimes pronounced as [wi] and [we] respectively.<ref name="korean.go.kr"/> The demographic that maintains monophthongal realizations of 'ㅟ' and 'ㅚ' is reportedly limited to elderly speakers in the Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Chungcheong provinces. The official standard pronunciation guidelines acknowledge this variation by permitting both monophthongal and diphthongal pronunciations of these vowels.<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ko:모음체계 |url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0078687 |website=[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]] |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref>

In South Korea, while the distinction between long and short vowels is not clearly pronounced in contemporary speech, this distinction is maintained in standard language norms for reasons of tradition and semantic differentiation.<ref name="korean.go.kr"/>

===Morphophonemics===
{{Main|Morphophonology}}
Grammatical [[morpheme]]s may change shape depending on the preceding sounds. Examples include ''-eun/-neun'' ({{lang|ko|-은/-는}}) and ''-i/-ga'' ({{lang|ko|-이/-가}}).

Sometimes sounds may be inserted instead. Examples include ''-eul/-reul'' ({{lang|ko|-을/-를}}), ''-euro/-ro'' ({{lang|ko|-으로/-로}}), ''-eseo/-seo'' ({{lang|ko|-에서/-서}}), ''-ideunji/-deunji'' ({{lang|ko|-이든지/-든지}}) and ''-iya/-ya'' ({{lang|ko|-이야/-야}}).

* However, ''-euro/-ro'' is somewhat irregular, since it will behave differently after a [[ㄹ]] (rieul consonant).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Korean particles
! After a consonant !! After a ㄹ (rieul) !! After a vowel
|-
| colspan="3" | ''-ui'' ({{lang|ko|-의}})
|-
| colspan="2" | ''-eun'' ({{lang|ko|-은}}) || ''-neun'' ({{lang|ko|-는}})
|-
| colspan="2" |''-i'' ({{lang|ko|-이}}) || ''-ga'' ({{lang|ko|-가}})
|-
| colspan="2" | ''-eul'' ({{lang|ko|-을}}) || ''-reul'' ({{lang|ko|-를}})
|-
| colspan="2" | ''-gwa'' ({{lang|ko|-과}}) || ''-wa'' ({{lang|ko|-와}})
|-
| ''-euro'' ({{lang|ko|-으로}}) || colspan="2" | ''-ro'' ({{lang|ko|-로}})
|}

Some verbs may also change shape morphophonemically.