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Another #Duolingo reaction / feedback, re: learning #Korean.

Because they rely on transliteration to teach students how to read #Hangul (Korean writing script), it gets confusing as you learn more root letters.

For example:
ㅓ - eo
ㅗ - o
ㅜ - u
ㅡ - eu

In Duolingo, the transliteration "do" can be 두 or 도. To know the difference, you have to carefully listen to the pronunciation. The problem is, they use two female and one male voices each with different pronunciations.

However, in one such lesson you are asked to pick the correct Hangul for "do", with no pronunciation offered of what particular "do" it is. Again, emphasis on transliteration.

How can a student know the correct answer when 두 and 도 are in the options, and both were used before in earlier lessons?

Back to pronunciation, depending on the speaker (and rules that Duolingo didn't explain), ㅓ(eo) and ㅗ (o) can also sound as ㅜ (u) and ㅡ (eu).

Conclusion:
1. If you want to learn to recognise Hangul, then Duolingo is good. There also teach you the proper strokes.
2. But if you want to learn pronunciations and words and rules, get a lesson from native Koreans language teachers.

You see, Duolingo claims "scientists" were involved in creating their lessons but I don't see any sign scientists were involved. No logic in their lessons.

And I agree with the native Korean language teachers, if you rely on transliterations instead of learning it the natural way, you're setting yourself into disappointment and hardship.

You have to know the pronunciation. When you see Hangul characters, your mind should process it that way, not transliterating it first.

The official transliteration of Korean is geared towards linguists instead of pure pronunciation. A linguist understands why 가가 is pronounced "kaga" but is transliterated as "gaga". Or why 도 is pronounced "pu" but is transliterated as "do".

In other words, if you're a regular student and you rely on transliterations, you'll be confused and will think it is hard.

When you see 마마 your brain should naturally process it as such 마마. Your brain should never transliterate it first before you can understand it. 마마 means "your highness" and is transliterated and pronounced as "mama"; it doesn't mean "mother".

Learn to read Hangul, after that move to learning from native Korean language teachers, not Duolingo.

#language #Hangugeo