2015 HARVARD-YENCHING GENERALITY AND DISTINCTIVENESS OF INSTITUTE WORKING KOREAN LANGUAGE MODERNIZATION PAPER SERIES An Yelee | Yonsei University Generality and Distinctiveness of Korean Language Modernization Yelee An Yonsei University
[email protected] Abstract This present paper attempts to explore the general and unique characteristics of Korean language modernization in its early stage (1894-1910) in order to rethink the Europe-centered model of linguistic modernity. The main concern of this paper is twofold: whether the vernacularization is the essence of language modernization, and whether the phoneticism is identical to the pursuit of Westernization. It was common that the breakdown of pre-modern diglossia took place during the course of language modernization through the vernacularization; however, this does not mean that there was only one way that the conventional diglossic structure came to be dissolved. Both Europe and East Asia at large witnessed the fall of their classical language and the rise of the vernacular, whereas the Arab nations saw the evolution of the diglossia evolving into triglossia through modernizing its classical language, not the vernacular. The key factors determining the direction of language modernization were not matters of communication or culture, but rather the formation of modern national identity and power struggles. Multiple trajectories are also found when it comes to the matter of implementing phonograms. At the turn of the twentieth century in East Asia, phonetic script was considered the emblem of the civilized world, in other words, the West. The pursuit of phonograms was a shared concern in East Asia however it was only Korea that ended up implementing the phonetic script exclusively.