Korean and Japanese borrowed words from Chinese and English differently. Learn how history, pronunciation, and meaning shaped unique adaptations. Loanwords—words adopted from one language into another—are fascinating markers of cultural exchange and linguistic evolution. Over centuries, both Korean and Japanese have integrated thousands of such words, influenced heavily by ancient Chinese and more recently by … Read more
Dive into the Peninsular Japonic Hypothesis, exploring the theory that ancient Japonic languages once thrived on the Korean Peninsula before spreading to Japan. Understand its implications for the linguistic relationship between Korean and Japanese. In our previous post we noted a striking puzzle: Koreans and Japanese are genetically and geographically close, yet their … Read more
Why are Korean and Japanese so different, even with close genetic ties? Explore linguistic theories that offer clues.
Koreans and Japanese are genetically close, but their languages are more different than many might expect.
From an outsider’s perspective, Korea and Japan may seem culturally and linguistically close. Both countries are located in East Asia, have intertwined histories, and their people even share genetic similarities. But surprisingly, the Korean and Japanese languages are not as closely related as one might think.
