Appendix · Additional Notes

6. Vowel harmony

    Vowel harmony refers to the natural pairing of
    bright(Balkeum) medial vowels with other bright vowels and
    dark(Eodum) medial vowels with other dark vowels.
    Bright vowels such as ㅗ (o) and ㅏ (a) are associated with
    the imagery of the sky, evoking a sense of uplift and
    lightness. In contrast, dark vowels like ㅜ (u) and ㅓ (eo) are
    linked to the imagery of the earth, conveying a heavier and
    calmer feeling. For example, in words like malhanda (말한다,
    "to speak") and norara (놀아라, "to play"), bright vowels
    harmonize with other bright vowels. Meanwhile, in
    meokneunda (먹는다, "to eat") and ureora (울어라, "to cry"),
    dark vowels pair with other dark vowels.
    This principle is rooted in the Hasattang (Heaven Human
    Earth) philosophy that underlies the creation of vowels in
    Hunminjeongeum. It not only contributes to the naturalness
    of Korean pronunciation but also adds a musical quality to
    the language.
    Bright vowel blends(Balk-Balk): cholrang-cholrang (촐랑촐
    랑), sallang-sallang (살랑살랑), kkangchong-kkangchong
    (깡총깡총), ajang-ajang (아장아장), banjjak-banjjak (반짝반
    짝)



    Appendix - Additional explanation                            289