The 10th Day: Double Vowels Of Korean

We have learned Korean simple vowels(10): ㅏ[a], ㅑ[ya], ㅓ[ɞ], ㅕ[yɞ], ㅗ[o], ㅛ[yo], ㅜ[u], ㅠ[yu], ㅡ[ʉ], ㅣ[i]. Unless you are a phonetics major, it is better to think that there are six single vowels (monophthongs) in Korean: 아[a], 어[ɞ], 오[o], 우[u], 으[ʉ], 이[i]. Among these, 아, 어, 오, and 우 can form semi vowels by adding the [y] sound to create 야[ya], 여[yʌ], 요[yo], and 유[yu], respectively.

아 → 야 / 어 → 여 / 오 → 요 / 우 → 유

Now, we are going to learn double vowels(11): 애[æ], 얘[yæ], 에[e], 예[ye], 와[wa], 워[wʌ], 왜[wæ], 웨[we], 외[wɛ], 위[wi], 의[ʉi]. We can combine the single vowels including semi vowels as follows to create additional diphthongs, double vowels:

아+이 → 애[æ] / 애+이 → 얘[yæ] / 어+이 → 에[e] / 에+이 → 예[ye] / 오+아 → 와[wa] / 우+어 → 워 [wʌ] / 오+애 → 왜[wæ] / 우+에 → 웨[we] / 오+이 → 외(wɛ) / 우+이 → 위 (wi) / 으+이 → 의[ɨi]

애[æ] and 에[e] can be distinguished as single vowels, but if we break down them as 아+이 and 어+이, they can be regarded as double vowels.

Let’s listen carefully to the following words or phrases and distinguish a vowel sounds in a syllable.

Play

야구 / 여자 / 요구 / 유리 / 애숭이 / 애기 / 얘기 / 에너지 / 예쁘다 / 와인 / 워킹 / 왜 그래요? / 웨이터 / 외갓집 / 위산 / 의자


아이가 어른이 되었어요. – 애가 어른이 됐어요. / 피자를 시키었어요. – 피자를 시켰어요. /  

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