Synchronic Variations in the Morphophonological Phenomena of Modern Korean

Abstract

The morphophonology of the Korean language is extremely complex. Various phonological phenomena occur when phonemes, syllables, morphemes, and so on, come together. In addition, some of the phonological phenomena show remarkable synchronic variations, about which no sufficient research has been conducted. In this paper, we discuss in detail the phonological phenomena observable in modern Korean speeches, particularly focusing on the n-insertion and the post liquid tensification (PLT) in sino-Korean words, where fluctuations in the pronunciation of the speakers are prominent. We critically examine previous researches on the topic and present the results we have achieved.