Araea: The Archaic Vowel of the Korean Alphabet
In the evolution of the Korean writing system, known as Hangul, certain characters have transitioned from essential components to historical relics. One such character is Araea (letter: ㆍ; name: 아래아). While it is no longer a standard part of modern Korean orthography, this archaic vowel holds significant linguistic importance, particularly in the preservation of the Jeju language.
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Foundations of the Araea Letter
The name araea literally translates to "lower a." This name is derived from its position in traditional Hangul learning charts (panjŏl). Because it produced an "a"-like sound similar to the letter ㅏ but appeared later in the alphabetical order, it was placed at the bottom of the charts.
Phonetically, Araea was associated with several specific vowel sounds. Depending on the linguistic context, it represented:
- An open-mid back unrounded vowel ([ʌ])
- An open back rounded vowel ([ɒ])
- An open-mid back rounded vowel ([ɔ])
The Historical Decline and Disappearance
The disappearance of Araea from the Korean language occurred in two distinct stages, driven by phonetic shifts where the sound merged with other existing vowels.
Phonetic Mergers
- The 16th Century: Araea began to merge into the vowel ㅡ when used in non-initial syllables.
- The 18th Century: The sound merged with the vowel ㅏ when used in initial syllables.
Despite the sound vanishing from spoken Korean, the letter persisted in written form for centuries. During the early 20th century, colonial-era orthographies allowed its use for Sino-Korean vocabulary. However, formal prohibitions were introduced in the 1930 Hangul Orthography and the 1933 Unified Hangul Orthography by the Korean Language Society. This effectively ended its mainstream use, with its phonetic roles being absorbed by ㅡ or ㅏ.
Interestingly, traces of its usage lingered in commercial signage well into the 1960s; for example, some stores in South Korea used the archaic spelling "담ᄇᆡ" instead of the modern "담배" (cigarettes).
Araea in the Modern Era
While Araea is absent from standard modern Korean, it remains a vital component of the Jeju language. In this linguistic context, the character is still utilized to represent the [ɔ] or [ʌ] sounds, serving as a bridge to the historical phonetic landscape of the Korean peninsula.
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Key Facts
- Name Meaning: "Lower a" (아래아), referring to its position in learning charts.
- Status: Archaic in standard Korean; active in the Jeju language.
- Phonetic Values: [ʌ], [ɒ], or [ɔ].
- Historical Merger: Merged with ㅡ (non-initial) and ㅏ (initial).
- Unicode Identifiers: U+318D and U+119E.
Technical Specifications
| Attribute | Hangul Letter Araea | Hangul Jungseong Araea |
|---|---|---|
| Unicode Name | HANGUL LETTER ARAEA | HANGUL JUNGSEONG ARAEA |
| Unicode Hex | U+318D | U+119E |
| Decimal | 12685 | 4510 |
| UTF-8 | E3 86 8D | E1 86 9E |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the letter called Araea?
The name means "lower a" because the sound was similar to the letter ㅏ, but because it followed ㅏ in the alphabetical order, it was placed at the bottom of Hangul instructional charts.
Is Araea still used in South Korea today?
It is not used in standard modern Korean orthography. However, it is still used to write the Jeju language, where it maintains its specific phonetic values.
When did Araea stop being used in the Korean language?
The sound itself merged into other vowels between the 16th and 18th centuries. Its formal use in writing was largely phased out following the 1933 Unified Hangul Orthography.
What sounds did the Araea character represent?
In the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), Araea was associated with the sounds [ʌ], [ɒ], or [ɔ].
How did Araea merge with other vowels?
The merger happened in two steps: it merged with ㅡ in syllables that were not at the beginning of a word, and it merged with ㅏ in syllables at the beginning of a word.