Preface

In learning a foreign language, it is essential to familiarise oneself with the sound properties of the language such as the inventory of sounds and phonological processes. Native speakers will acquire these naturally, but learners of the second language must learn them formally. This book aims to provide an introduction to the phonetics and phonology of Korean for those who study the Korean language and/or linguistics. More specifically, the target audience of this book consists both of academics in Korean Linguistics (or in Korean Studies or in linguistics) and of learners of Korean. Among the learners of Korean, this book is targeted particularly at learners of Korean who are familiar with English. Hence, comparison with English is also provided whenever necessary.

This book is rare in terms of being well balanced for these two audience groups. We believe that it will become the first comprehensive book to provide a complete and authoritative description and explanation of the current state of Korean phonetics and phonology.