Korean

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Etymology

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First attested as Middle Korean 所乙串 (*swolGwoc) in the Hyang'yak chaejip wollyeong (鄕藥採集月令 / 향약채집월령), 1431, a phonetic transcription using Chinese characters; compare also Middle Korean 所乙古叱 (*swolGwoc) in the Umayangjeo yeomyeokbyeong chiryobang (牛馬羊猪染疫病治療方 / 우마양저염역병치료방), 1541.[1]

In the Hangeul script, first attested as Middle Korean 솔〯옺〮 (swǒlwóc) in the Bullyu dugongbu si eonhae (分類杜工部詩諺解 / 분류두공부시언해), 3:5b[1], 1481, from *솔〯— (*swǒl—, narrow, whence modern 솔다 (solda)) +‎ 곶〮 (kwóc, skewer).[1]

The origin of the medial cluster /ŋk/, seen as far back as in Middle Korean 송곳 (swongkwos) in the Sinjeung yuhap (新增類合 / 신증유합), 28a, 1576, remains unclear. It may either reflect an alternate derivation *손곶 (*swonkwoc) as in *솔〯— (*swǒl—, narrow) +‎ (-n, realis adnominal suffix) +‎ 곶〮 (kwóc, skewer) or perhaps some assimilatory effect /l > ŋ/; compare Middle Korean ᄃᆞᆯᄋᆡ〮 (tòlóy-), ᄃᆞᇰᄀᆡ〮 (tòngkóy-, to pull).

Pronunciation

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  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [ˈsʰo̞(ː)ŋɡo̞t̚]
  • Phonetic hangul: [(ː)]
    • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.
Romanizations
Revised Romanization?songgot
Revised Romanization (translit.)?songgos
McCune–Reischauer?songgot
Yale Romanization?sōngkos

Noun

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송곳 (songgot)

  1. awl, gimlet

Derived terms

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References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 Lee, Ki-Moon, Ramsey, S. Robert (2011) A History of the Korean Language, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 148