Difference between revisions of "English-Korean loanwords"

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These words or word blends (portmanteaus) have entered Korean, often with different meanings than the original English. However, Koreans learners may often be unaware of the fact that the Konglish words have different meanings or usages than the original English words, or that the Konglish word is a purely Korean invention and does not exist in English. A famous example is the Korean word 화아팅 'hwaiting', from the English word ''fighting''; in Korean, it is used as a cheer, like "go team" or "be strong" or "good luck" - which are rather different from the original English meaning. An example of a pure lexical invention is the Korean 스킨십 'skinship,' which does not exist in English; this is a word blend of English elements, and refers to affectionate touching (between friends or romantic partners) or what some psychologists in the 1970s called "skin hunger" - the need or desire to receive or give friendly physical contact, such as between friends, as well as between romantic partners. Below is a list of the more common examples that could be problematic for learners.  
 
These words or word blends (portmanteaus) have entered Korean, often with different meanings than the original English. However, Koreans learners may often be unaware of the fact that the Konglish words have different meanings or usages than the original English words, or that the Konglish word is a purely Korean invention and does not exist in English. A famous example is the Korean word 화아팅 'hwaiting', from the English word ''fighting''; in Korean, it is used as a cheer, like "go team" or "be strong" or "good luck" - which are rather different from the original English meaning. An example of a pure lexical invention is the Korean 스킨십 'skinship,' which does not exist in English; this is a word blend of English elements, and refers to affectionate touching (between friends or romantic partners) or what some psychologists in the 1970s called "skin hunger" - the need or desire to receive or give friendly physical contact, such as between friends, as well as between romantic partners. Below is a list of the more common examples that could be problematic for learners.  
 +
  
 
=== Korean words with altered meanings ===
 
=== Korean words with altered meanings ===
 
  
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 
|-   
 
|-   
!| Konglish term !! Original English word !! !! Original English meaning !! English meaning of Konglish term  
+
! Konglish term !! Original English word !! Original English meaning !! English meaning of Konglish term  
 
|-   
 
|-   
|| # 다이어트  || diet || (1) eating habits, (2) weight loss program || go on a diet, to diet  
+
| 다이어트  || diet || (1) eating habits, (2) weight loss program || go on a diet, to diet  
 +
 
 
|-   
 
|-   
|| # 매니큐어  || manicure || nail care  || nail polish  
+
| 매니큐어  || manicure || nail care  || nail polish  
 +
 
 
|-   
 
|-   
|| # 미팅 || meeting || group assembled for some purpose || group blind date, blind / group dating  
+
| 미팅 || meeting || group assembled for some purpose || group blind date, blind / group dating  
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 비닐 || vinyl || a particular type of plastic (chemical name) || plastic wrap / wrapping  
+
| 비닐 || vinyl || a particular type of plastic (chemical name) || plastic wrap / wrapping  
 +
 
 
|-   
 
|-   
|| # 사이다 || cider || lemon-lime or clear soda || hot, spiced apple drink  
+
| 사이다 || cider || lemon-lime or clear soda || hot, spiced apple drink  
|  
+
 
 +
|-
 +
| 사인 || sign || (1) to sign or put one's signature on a document, (2) a written notice || a signature, to sign
 +
|-
 +
| 샤프 || sharp || a company name (Sharp, maker of pencils and other products) || mechanical pencil
 +
 
 +
|-
 +
| 커닝 || cunning || sly, sneaky; clever, but in an evil way (e.g., a cunning fox) || cheating
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 사인 || sign || (1) to sign or put one's signature on a document, (2) a written notice || a signature, to sign
+
| 토스트 || toast || toasted bread || a toasted or grilled breakfast sandwich
 +
|-
 +
| 팬티 || pantie || women's underwear || underwear (men's or women's), cf. boxers, briefs
 +
 
|-   
 
|-   
|| # 샤프 || sharp || a company name (Sharp, maker of pencils and other products) || mechanical pencil
+
| 핫도그 || hot dog || hot dog wiener (sausage) on white bread bun with mustard & ketchup || corndog
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 커닝 || cunning || sly, sneaky; clever, but in an evil way (e.g., a cunning fox) || cheating
+
| 핸들 || handle || graspable part, e.g., door handle, bag handle || steering wheel
 +
|-
 +
| 헌팅 || hunting || hunting animals (with a weapon) || trying to pick up guys / women (e.g., at a bar / club)  
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 콘센트 || concentric || circles sharing the same center || electrical plug / plug-in, outlet, wall socket 
+
| 호치키스 || Hotchkiss || a company (now defunct) that made staplers in the early 20th century || stapler
 +
|-
 +
| 화이탕 || fighting || a physical or verbal conflict || Go, team! (sports games); Cheer up! Be strong! Good luck! (personal encouragement) 
 +
|- 
 +
| 팬시 || fancy || nice-looking, elaborate || stationery, esp. nicer or fancy-looking stationery
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 +
 +
=== Korean words shorted from English words  ===
 +
 +
{|  class="wikitable sortable"
 +
! Konglish term !! Original English word !!  English equivalent of Konglish term
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 토스트 || toast || toasted bread || a toasted or grilled breakfast sandwich
+
| 리모컨 || remote control || remote, remote control
 +
 
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 팬티 || pantie || women's underwear || underwear (men's or women's), cf. boxers, briefs
+
| 에어컨 || air conditioner || AC, air conditioning / conditioner
+
 
|-   
+
|-
|| # 핫도그 || hot dog || hot dog wiener (sausage) on white bread bun with mustard & ketchup || corndog
+
| 콘센트 || concentric (circles sharing the same center) || electrical plug / plug-in, outlet, wall socket 
 +
 
 +
|-
 +
|| FM|| “[army] field manual” protocol for loud, enthusiastic self-intro at parties or MT || Ø (FM refers to FM radio); no equivalent cultural practice or word exists in English for Korean “FM” introductions
 +
 
 +
|-  
 +
| MT || membership training || Ø (no exact equivalent; maybe company/class retreat or outing)  
 +
 
 +
|-
 +
| AS, 에프터 서비스 || after service || Ø (closest term is customer service, which works differently than AS)
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== Korean word blends from English elements ===
 +
 
 +
{|  class="wikitable sortable"
 +
! Konglish term !! Original English elements !! English equivalent of Konglish term
 +
|-
 +
| 더츠 페이 || Dutch pay || go Dutch, split the bill
 +
|-
 +
| 멀티탭  || multi + tab  || power strip
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 핸들 || handle || graspable part, e.g., door handle, bag handle || steering wheel
+
| 스킨십  || skin + ship  || Ø (no English equivalent; maybe "affection touch / touching")
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 헌팅 || hunting || hunting animals (with a weapon) || trying to pick up guys / women (e.g., at a bar / club)
+
| 오토바이 || auto + bike || motorcycle
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 호치키스 || Hotchkiss || a company (now defunct) that made staplers in the early 20th century || stapler
+
| 와이셔츠  || Y-shirt  || dress shirt, collared / button-up shirt
 +
|-
 +
| 원피스 || one-piece || dress (In English, ‘one-piece’ can be any kind of garment, e.g., a swimsuit, or a type of baby clothing)
 
|-  
 
|-  
|| # 화이탕 || fighting || a physical or verbal conflict || Go, team! (sports games); Cheer up! Be strong! (personal encouragement)
+
| 핸드 폰  || hand + phone  || cell phone (US), mobile phone (UK); smart phone (universal)  
|- s
+
|-  
|| # 팬시 || fancy || nice-looking, elaborate || stationery, esp. nicer or fancy-looking stationery
+
| 오므라이스 || omelet + rice || Ø (no equivalent, since this is a purely Korean food item)
 +
|-  
 +
| 원룸 || one room || efficiency apartment (for an older, smaller, or cheaper apartment),  studio apartment (for a nicer, larger, or more expensive apartment)
 +
|-  
 +
| 원샷 || one shot || Bottoms up!
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
  
 +
=== Korean words from non-English sources  ===
 +
 +
{|  class="wikitable sortable"
 +
|-
 +
! Konglish term !! Origin !!  English equivalent
 +
|-
 +
| 아르바이트 || German ‘Arbeit’ || part-time work, temporary work
 +
|}
  
  
 +
Note: The Korean term 아르바이트 'arubait' is from the German ''Arbeit'', not from English. This is the normal German word for work (as in full-time or permanent work), but in Korean it refers to temporary or part-time work. In modern colloquial German, part-time or temporary work is called ''ein Job'' (noun) or ''jobben'' (verb).
  
Note: The Korean term 아르바이트 'arubait' is from the German ''Arbeit'', not from English. This is the normal German word for work, but in Korean it refers to temporary or part-time work.
 
  
  
 
[[Category:Vocabulary]]
 
[[Category:Vocabulary]]

Revision as of 06:15, 14 March 2018

The term Konglish in linguistics refers to English words, or words derived from English, that are used in Korean. This includes macaronic or hybrid English-Korean words. The term Konglish can also refer more pejoratively to Korean-accented English or English marked by lexical, collocational, and grammatical L2 errors by Korean learners of English, which is not the focus of this article.

These words or word blends (portmanteaus) have entered Korean, often with different meanings than the original English. However, Koreans learners may often be unaware of the fact that the Konglish words have different meanings or usages than the original English words, or that the Konglish word is a purely Korean invention and does not exist in English. A famous example is the Korean word 화아팅 'hwaiting', from the English word fighting; in Korean, it is used as a cheer, like "go team" or "be strong" or "good luck" - which are rather different from the original English meaning. An example of a pure lexical invention is the Korean 스킨십 'skinship,' which does not exist in English; this is a word blend of English elements, and refers to affectionate touching (between friends or romantic partners) or what some psychologists in the 1970s called "skin hunger" - the need or desire to receive or give friendly physical contact, such as between friends, as well as between romantic partners. Below is a list of the more common examples that could be problematic for learners.


1 Korean words with altered meanings

Konglish term Original English word Original English meaning English meaning of Konglish term
다이어트 diet (1) eating habits, (2) weight loss program go on a diet, to diet
매니큐어 manicure nail care nail polish
미팅 meeting group assembled for some purpose group blind date, blind / group dating
비닐 vinyl a particular type of plastic (chemical name) plastic wrap / wrapping
사이다 cider lemon-lime or clear soda hot, spiced apple drink
사인 sign (1) to sign or put one's signature on a document, (2) a written notice a signature, to sign
샤프 sharp a company name (Sharp, maker of pencils and other products) mechanical pencil
커닝 cunning sly, sneaky; clever, but in an evil way (e.g., a cunning fox) cheating
토스트 toast toasted bread a toasted or grilled breakfast sandwich
팬티 pantie women's underwear underwear (men's or women's), cf. boxers, briefs
핫도그 hot dog hot dog wiener (sausage) on white bread bun with mustard & ketchup corndog
핸들 handle graspable part, e.g., door handle, bag handle steering wheel
헌팅 hunting hunting animals (with a weapon) trying to pick up guys / women (e.g., at a bar / club)
호치키스 Hotchkiss a company (now defunct) that made staplers in the early 20th century stapler
화이탕 fighting a physical or verbal conflict Go, team! (sports games); Cheer up! Be strong! Good luck! (personal encouragement)
팬시 fancy nice-looking, elaborate stationery, esp. nicer or fancy-looking stationery


2 Korean words shorted from English words

Konglish term Original English word English equivalent of Konglish term
리모컨 remote control remote, remote control
에어컨 air conditioner AC, air conditioning / conditioner
콘센트 concentric (circles sharing the same center) electrical plug / plug-in, outlet, wall socket
FM “[army] field manual” protocol for loud, enthusiastic self-intro at parties or MT Ø (FM refers to FM radio); no equivalent cultural practice or word exists in English for Korean “FM” introductions
MT membership training Ø (no exact equivalent; maybe company/class retreat or outing)
AS, 에프터 서비스 after service Ø (closest term is customer service, which works differently than AS)


3 Korean word blends from English elements

Konglish term Original English elements English equivalent of Konglish term
더츠 페이 Dutch pay go Dutch, split the bill
멀티탭 multi + tab power strip
스킨십 skin + ship Ø (no English equivalent; maybe "affection touch / touching")
오토바이 auto + bike motorcycle
와이셔츠 Y-shirt dress shirt, collared / button-up shirt
원피스 one-piece dress (In English, ‘one-piece’ can be any kind of garment, e.g., a swimsuit, or a type of baby clothing)
핸드 폰 hand + phone cell phone (US), mobile phone (UK); smart phone (universal)
오므라이스 omelet + rice Ø (no equivalent, since this is a purely Korean food item)
원룸 one room efficiency apartment (for an older, smaller, or cheaper apartment), studio apartment (for a nicer, larger, or more expensive apartment)
원샷 one shot Bottoms up!


4 Korean words from non-English sources

Konglish term Origin English equivalent
아르바이트 German ‘Arbeit’ part-time work, temporary work


Note: The Korean term 아르바이트 'arubait' is from the German Arbeit, not from English. This is the normal German word for work (as in full-time or permanent work), but in Korean it refers to temporary or part-time work. In modern colloquial German, part-time or temporary work is called ein Job (noun) or jobben (verb).