There are different motivations as to why people are trying to learn Korean in Singapore. Some do it because they are planning on moving to Korea, others do it because they plan to get into one of the universities in Korea, or maybe they are really into mainstream Korean media and are looking for ways to immerse in it more.
Regardless of the reason, becoming proficient in the 17th most spoken language in the world is going to be challenging. However, with enough perseverance and motivation, you’ll be able to grasp the basics of Korean on no time. Eventually, you may even be fluent in it!
When you need to get a firmer grasp of a certain topic, you have to scratch more than just the surface. You will have to dig deeper to find out more. The same goes for learning Korean; if you want to be proficient at it, you have to be familiar with more than just the fundamentals and grammatical standards. While there are other factors that determine how fast you can learn Korean in Singapore, here are some facts that every aspiring Korean speaker needs to know.
1. Korean has influences from other languages
Belonging to the Altaic language family, the Korean language bears influences from the tongues of Turkey, Mongolia, and China in terms of dialect. Among the three, Japanese is its dominant influence in terms of grammatical standards. These are precisely why learning either Chinese or Japanese will become easier as well if you manage to master the skill of speaking Korean.
2. Their characters reflect the speaker’s tongue
The Korean alphabet, commonly referred to as Hangeul, consists of 24 basic letters. In its scripting, the shape of each letter mimics the movement or shape that your tongue makes when you try to pronounce them. This fact comes in handy when you are learning hangeul and trying to recall the corresponding sound of each character.
3. There are distinctions in the language
Depending on your reason why you are trying to learn Korean, you have to make sure that you are practising the right one because the language that is spoken by people from North Korea is fairly distinct from the one spoken from South Korea. These two countries have developed their respective vocabulary and grammatical standards, which is why when you plan on taking Korean courses in Singapore, you have to sign up for the right one.
4. The language is acclaimed by linguists
For the majority of people around the world, they want to learn Korean because of its advantages. However, for linguists, the appreciation for the language is in high regard because of its writing system that fits the language snuggly, coining it as the “most perfect phonetic system”.
5. Koreans are heavy on the use of communal pronouns
If you are a native English speaker, you are most likely familiar with the role and importance of singular pronouns in the language’s grammar like “me” or “i”. But in Korea, they commonly use shared pronouns such as “we” or “us”.
Korean culture promotes a communal approach in society, and this transcends to the language that they speak. While their language still has pronouns in singular form, it is only used in specific circumstances.
Conclusion
Having the will and motivation to learn is the main fuel that will help you achieve a significant proficiency level in the Korean tongue. Apart from that, knowing certain facts about it can complement your learning process such as its similarities with other languages, how its characters are written similarly to the shape of your tongue, the linguistic nuances between North and South Korea, why language experts consider it perfect, and how it uses pronouns.
If you are looking for a language school that can help you learn Korean in Singapore, get in touch with Korean Explorer. We offer a wide variety of course plans that caters to different proficiency levels and pacing. To learn more, give us a call at +65 6528 7918.
