Appendix · Additional Notes

10. The number ‘0’ and the initial sound ‘ㅇ’


    0 and ㅇ(Euing)are the starting point of numbers and letters.
    In the world of numbers, there is 0—a form that exists yet
    holds no value, carrying profound significance. In the world
    of letters, Hangul has the initial consonant ㅇ.
    In mathematics, 0 represents "nothingness," yet this state of
    emptiness is a groundbreaking invention that made the order
    of numerical systems possible. Likewise, in Hangul, ㅇ is a
    consonant without sound, yet it serves as the structural
    foundation for all syllables(Ongulja).
    Professor Nomura Hideki, in 『The Birth of Hangul』,
    described ㅇ as the "zero consonant" that supports the
    dynamic transformation of sound. As an initial consonant
    with no sound value, ㅇ allows the final consonant of a
    preceding syllable to be carried over and pronounced at the
    beginning of the next.
    Although the number 0 appears to represent "nothing," it
    contains within it the power to create order, structure, and
    infinite possibilities. It is not merely a symbol but a
    philosophical leap and a civilizational innovation that
    transformed the way we think.



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