Goguryeo language
Encyclopedia
The Goguryeo language was spoken in the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo
(37 – 668 ), one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
. The language is also known as Old Koguryo, Koguryoic, and Koguryoan.
It is unknown except for a small number of words, which mostly suggest that it was influenced by the Tungusic languages
. Striking similarities between Baekje
and Goguryeo can also be found, which is consistent with the legends that describe Baekje being founded by the sons of Goguryeo's founder. The Goguryeo names for government posts are mostly similar to those of Baekje and Silla.
Chinese records suggest that the languages of Goguryeo, Buyeo
, Eastern Okjeo
, and Gojoseon
were similar, while the language of Malgal (Mohe) in Manchuria differed significantly.
Some historical linguists have proposed a Puyo language family
that links of the Buyeo, Goguryeo, and Baekje
with Old Japanese
. Others argue that the connections to Japanese may be due to earlier languages of southern Korea, such as perhaps Gaya
, and that Goguryeo–Baekje was closer to Silla
and Korean. Words of Goguryeo origin can be found in Middle Korean (early 10th to late 14th century).
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
(37 – 668 ), one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea
Three Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
. The language is also known as Old Koguryo, Koguryoic, and Koguryoan.
It is unknown except for a small number of words, which mostly suggest that it was influenced by the Tungusic languages
Tungusic languages
The Tungusic languages form a language family spoken in Eastern Siberia and Manchuria by Tungusic peoples. Many Tungusic languages are endangered, and the long-term future of the family is uncertain...
. Striking similarities between Baekje
Baekje language
The language of the ancient kingdom of Baekje , one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, is sparsely attested; indeed, it is not clear that what material exists is from the same language...
and Goguryeo can also be found, which is consistent with the legends that describe Baekje being founded by the sons of Goguryeo's founder. The Goguryeo names for government posts are mostly similar to those of Baekje and Silla.
Chinese records suggest that the languages of Goguryeo, Buyeo
Buyeo language
The language of the Buyeo kingdom is very sparsely attested; however, according to Chinese sources it was mutually intelligible with the Goguryeo language to its south. The few words which are known bear this out....
, Eastern Okjeo
Okjeo
Okjeo was Korean tribal state which arose in the northern Korean peninsula from perhaps 2nd century BCE to 5th century CE.Dong-okjeo occupied roughly the area of the Hamgyŏng provinces of North Korea, and Buk-okjeo occupied the Duman River region.Dong-okjeo was often simply called Okjeo, while...
, and Gojoseon
Gojoseon
Gojoseon was an ancient Korean kingdom. Go , meaning "ancient," distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty; Joseon, as it is called in contemporaneous writings, is also romanized as Chosŏn....
were similar, while the language of Malgal (Mohe) in Manchuria differed significantly.
Some historical linguists have proposed a Puyo language family
Buyeo languages
Buyeo or Fuyu languages are a hypothetical language family that consists of ancient languages of the northern Korean Peninsula and southern Manchuria and possibly Japan. According to Chinese records, the languages of Buyeo, Goguryeo, Dongye, Okjeo, Baekje—and possibly Gojoseon—were similar...
that links of the Buyeo, Goguryeo, and Baekje
Baekje language
The language of the ancient kingdom of Baekje , one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, is sparsely attested; indeed, it is not clear that what material exists is from the same language...
with Old Japanese
Old Japanese
is the oldest attested stage of the Japanese language.This stage in the development of Japanese is still actively studied and debated, and key Old Japanese texts, such as the Man'yōshū, remain obscure in places.-Dating:...
. Others argue that the connections to Japanese may be due to earlier languages of southern Korea, such as perhaps Gaya
Gaya language
Gaya , also transliterated Kara, is the presumed language of the Gaya confederacy in southern Korea. It is supposedly attested from thirteen toponyms, but it cannot be certain that these reflect the Gaya language itself rather than an earlier language...
, and that Goguryeo–Baekje was closer to Silla
Silla language
The Silla language, was spoken in the ancient kingdom of Silla , one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.It is unclear if Silla was related to other languages of the Korean peninsula, such as Baekje and Goguryeo, which are sometimes grouped together as the Buyeo languages...
and Korean. Words of Goguryeo origin can be found in Middle Korean (early 10th to late 14th century).
Further reading
- Beckwith, C. I. (2004). Koguryo, the language of Japan's continental relatives: an introduction to the historical-comparative study of the Japanese Koguryoic languages with a preliminary description of Archaic northeastern Middle Chinese. Brill's Japanese studies library, v. 21. Boston: Brill. ISBN 9004139494
- Beckwith (2006). "Methodological Observations on Some Recent Studies of the Early Ethnolinguistic History of Korea and Vicinity." Altai Hakpo 2006, 16: 199-234.
- Beckwith (2006). "The Ethnolinguistic History of the Early Korean Peninsula Region: Japanese-Koguryoic and Other Languages in the Koguryo, Paekche, and Silla Kingdoms." Journal of Inner and East Asian Studies, 2006, Vol. 2-2: 34-64.
- Beckwith (2007): Koguryo, the Language of Japan's Continental Relatives: An Introduction to the Historical-Comparative Study of the Japanese-Koguryoic Languages, with a Preliminary Description of Archaic Northeastern Middle Chinese. Brill Academic Publishers, 2004. ISBN 90-04-13949-4. Second edition, 2007. ISBN 90-04-16025-5
- http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/19/41/11/PDF/review-Beckwith-Koguryo.pdf
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- History of the Korean languageHistory of the Korean languageThe Korean language is attested from the early centuries of the Common Era in Chinese script. The featural hangul script is only introduced in the Middle Korean period, in the 15th century.The periodization of the historical stages of Korean is as follows:...
- Buyeo languagesBuyeo languagesBuyeo or Fuyu languages are a hypothetical language family that consists of ancient languages of the northern Korean Peninsula and southern Manchuria and possibly Japan. According to Chinese records, the languages of Buyeo, Goguryeo, Dongye, Okjeo, Baekje—and possibly Gojoseon—were similar...
- Old KoreanOld KoreanOld Korean corresponds to the Korean language from the beginning of Three Kingdoms of Korea to the latter part of the Unified Silla, of which period is roughly from 1 AD to 1000 AD. There are many theories to differentiate the Korean language histories. It is distinct from Proto-Korean , which is...
- Baekje languageBaekje languageThe language of the ancient kingdom of Baekje , one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, is sparsely attested; indeed, it is not clear that what material exists is from the same language...
- Silla languageSilla languageThe Silla language, was spoken in the ancient kingdom of Silla , one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.It is unclear if Silla was related to other languages of the Korean peninsula, such as Baekje and Goguryeo, which are sometimes grouped together as the Buyeo languages...
- Baekje language
- Japonic languagesJaponic languagesJaponic languages is a term which identifies and characterises the Japanese which is spoken on the main islands of Japan and the Ryukyuan languages spoken in the Ryukyu Islands. This widely accepted linguistics term was coined by Leon Serafim....