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Written Language & Literacy
Vol. 26:2 (2023) ► pp.239–266

Segments and syllables in Hangeul and Thaana

A comparison and optimality theoretic analysis

| Independent researcher

This paper compares the little-known writing system Thaana, used for the Maldivian language, with Hangeul, used for Korean. Both were intentional inventions by native speakers in early modern times, and both contain some unique features. Both are segmental in their representation while also arranging their letters into higher-order structures: syllables or CV groupings. These structures obey well-formedness constraints that are well known from the study of phonological (spoken) syllables. This paper argues that the operation of these constraints is evidence that these writing systems employ a grammar, which is analyzed here using Optimality Theory. Thaana and Hangeul use the same syllabification constraints, but the rankings differ between the two systems. The rankings also differ between each writing system and its related spoken language. This paper adds to the growing body of research that applies the tools of linguistic analysis to writing systems and finds evidence of grammar in their structure.

Keywords: hangeul, Thaana, script invention, script design, graphic syllable, onset, coda, optimality theory, constraint ranking
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Hangeul
  • 3.Thaana
  • 4.Comparison of Hangeul and Thaana
  • 5.Graphic syllables in Hangeul
    • 5.1Description of Hangeul syllables
    • 5.2Introducing syllables in OT
    • 5.3Applying OT to Hangeul syllables
  • 6.Graphic syllables in Thaana
  • 7.OT Discussion
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • Author queries
  • References
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