Hangul supremacy
Hangul scientific supremacy is a claim that the Hangul alphabet invented by King Sejong the Great in 1443, is the simplest, most logical, most ingenious and most scientific writing system in the world.[1][2][3]
Proponents of the claim, believe Hangul is the most scientific writing system because it writes its characters based on the shapes of the parts of the human body used to enunciate. For example, the first of the Hangul alphabet, ㄱ, is shaped like the root of the tongue blocking the throat. Also that Hangul was designed in a way that is relatively very simple to learn, containing only 28 characters in its alphabet as well as the spoken words mostly sound exactly as they are written.[2]
Claim of Hangul supremacy in the past, has been supported publicly by several linguistic scholars.
According to an article in Wall Street Journal, the linguistic advantages from the Hangul system is what helps Korean to be among one of the best languages in the world for learning maths.[4]
Edwin O. Reischauer and John K. Fairbank of Harvard University co-wrote in their book that "Hangul is perhaps the most scientific system of writing in general use in any country."[5]
Former professor of Leiden University, Frits Vos stated that King Sejong, "invented the world's best alphabet" adding, "It is clear that the Korean alphabet is not only simple and logical, but has, moreover, been constructed in a purely scientific way."[6]
One scholar even stated the scientific superiority of Hangul as one of the reasons for the rise of Korea as an information technology powerhouse and another stating that Hangul must unquestionably rank as one of the great intellectual achievements of humankind.[2][7]
Also, according to Harold Piper, a writer, the belief holds that Hangul is in fact best suited for the expression of sounds in all languages.[8][9]
References
- ^ "::: Hanstyle :::". Han-style.com:8001. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
- ^ a b c "Korean Writing System - Hangul". www.antiquealive.com. 2004. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
- ^ "Today is a Holiday in Honor of the World's Most Remarkable Alphabet". mentalfloss.com. 2017-10-09. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
- ^ >Shellenbarger, Sue (2014-09-15). "The Best Language for Math". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
- ^ Korea Newsreview. (1988). South Korea: Korea News review Incorporated. Volume 17, Issues 27-53, page 29
- ^ Papers of the C.I.C. Far Eastern Language Institute, the University of Michigan, 1968, Indiana University, 1969 [and] the University of Minnesota, 1970. Richard B. Mather, Editor. (1973). United States: Panel on Far Eastern Language Institutes of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation.
- ^ "Hankul in The AnswerBank: Phrases & Sayings". www.theanswerbank.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
- ^ "[Viewpoint] Hats off to Hangul-INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily". Koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. 2011-10-06. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
- ^ "Nation celebrates Korean alphabet's creation on 567th Hangul Day". Asia Heartbeat. Arirang International Broadcasting Foundation.
External links
- A linguist explains why Korean is the best written language, Joe Cock, Today Translations, June 28, 2016.
- The Best Language for Math
- Hangeul (Korean Alphabet) – the sole writing system in the world whose founder is known