[Korean Culture & Language] OED

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Did you know 26 Korean words were added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in September of this year? 

Thanks to highly popularized aspects of Korean culture such as K-dramas, K-pop, and K-beauty, Korean words have naturally become more widely known and used all over the world. According to the OED blog, “in the late 1990s, ‘Korean’ was shortened to simply K- and combined with other words to form nouns relating to South Korea and its popular culture” and some 20 years later, “K-“ has now been added to the OED, along with the words “hallyu” and “Korean wave.”

Let’s take a look at some other Korean words added to the OED!

Photo by Tim Toomey on Unsplash

“Chimaek” (치맥) is a combination of the Korean words, 치킨 (chi-kin, chicken) and 맥주 (maek-ju, beer), which is a popular food and drink combination in Korea. Korean fried chicken comes in an endless variety of flavors such as soy garlic, cheese truffle, and honey butter. And instead of fries or cheese sticks, 치킨 is paired with the Korean radish 무 (mu) that is pickled and diced into small cubes and helps even out the greasiness of the chicken with its vinegar-heavy taste. Read more about 치맥 here.

https://youtu.be/aeSeB6mzMoE

Another word added to the OED is “aegyo,” which is defined as “cuteness or charm, esp. of a sort considered characteristic of Korean popular culture” as well as “behavior regarded as cute, charming, or adorable.” Aegyo is a very Korean-specific trait that can be seen as a form of flirting, showing affection, or a means of getting your way when you want something. One prime example of a gesture that indicates aegyo are when someone clenches their fists against their face while saying 뿌잉뿌잉 (bbu-ing bbu-ing), a word with no particular meaning. Another type of aegyo one can display is through text messages. Adding an extra 받침 (bat-chim, bottom consonant) to a word indicates a sense of playfulness, such as writing 알았엉 rather than 알았어 or 잘 먹을게용 instead of 잘 먹을게요. 

Photo by Tani Eisenstein on Unsplash

“Skinship” is also among the 26 words added to the OED. Like chimaek, skinship is a portmanteau of the words “skin” and “kinship” and signifies “close physical contact used to express affection or strengthen an emotional bond.” The word skinship can be used when referring to physical contact that occurs in both romantic and platonic relationships. It is not uncommon to see Korean female friends linking arms or holding hands while walking.

Last but not least, “Konglish” was added to the OED. Koreans who live abroad are most likely familiar with this hybrid word that refers to an “informal hybrid language incorporating elements of Korean and English.” An example of Konglish would be if someone were to mix Korean and English and say, “That person has no 눈치 (nunchi, tact) and doesn’t know how to 인사 (in-sah, to bow or greet someone in a proper manner).”