Similarities between Japanese and Korean Part Two

Common differences in words that are the similar in Japanese and Korean

-tsu in Japanese is often -r in Korean, especially at the end of a word
chilmun = 質問 – shitsumon = question
yokshiri = 浴室 – yokushitsu = bathroom
susul = 手術 – shujutsu = operation (medical)
chumal = 週末 – shumatsu = weekend

A Japanese –ku has a very quiet vowel sound, and almost sounds like the –k that it is usually written as in Korean
set’akki = 洗濯機 – sentakuki = washing machine
sukpak= 宿泊 – shukuhaku= accommodation
yaksok = 約束- yakusoku = promise/appointment
toch’ak =到着- touchaku = arrival

Korean does not have lengthened vowels (written in Japanese as the vowel repeated, u after an o, or a dash)
kosok bosu = 高速バス – kousoku basu = long distance bus
chusa = 注射 – chuusha = injection
muryo = 無料 – muryou = free (no charge)
magarin = マーガリン – maagarin = margarine (pronounced in Japanese and Korean with a hard g)
chumun = 注文 – chuumon = order (in a restaurant)
chuch’a = 駐車 – chuusha = parking
toch’ak =到着- touchaku = arrival

Korean uses the pronunciation from Chinese for a single word when in Japanese that pronunciation is only used in compounds
hae = 日 – hi = sun (in Japanese, usually 太陽 – “taiyo”)
mal = 馬 – ma = horse (as a separate word rather than as part of a compound, the Japanese usually say “uma”)
yaku = 薬 – yaku = drugs/ medicines (except when used in compounds, Japanese usually pronounce that kanji “kusuri”)
san = 山 – san = mountain (as in Fuji-san, as a single word in Japanese it is pronounced “yama”)

Korean does not have sha, shu and sho sounds (only shi)
suri = 修理 – shuuri = repairs
kasu = 歌手 – kashu = singer
sajin = 写真 – shashin = photo
soryu = 書類 – shorui = documents

An initial h- or f- sound in Japanese is often p- or b- in Korean (even though Korean has initial h words)
ban = 半 – han = half
piso = 秘書 – hisho = secretary
pibu = 皮膚 – hifu = skin
p’yojune = 標準 – hyoujun = standard
pando = 半島 – hantou = peninsular (literally- half island)
podo = 歩道 – hodou = footpath
t’aep’ung = 台風 – taihuu = typhoon

t and d are often switched
toro = 道路 – douro = road
sokto = 速度 – sokudo = speed

b and p are often switched
shinbu = 新婦 – shinpu = bride

This entry was posted on Monday, November 3rd, 2008 at 12:48 am and is filed under Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching English in Korea, TEFL, Word origins. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.