English-Korean loanwords
The term Konglish in linguistics refers to English words, or words derived from English, that are used in Korean. This includes macaronic or hybrid English-Korean words. The term Konglish can also refer more pejoratively to Korean-accented English or English marked by lexical, collocational, and grammatical L2 errors by Korean learners of English, which is not the focus of this article.
These words or word blends (portmanteaus) have entered Korean, often with different meanings than the original English. However, Koreans learners may often be unaware of the fact that the Konglish words have different meanings or usages than the original English words, or that the Konglish word is a purely Korean invention and does not exist in English. A famous example is the Korean word 화아팅 'hwaiting', from the English word fighting; in Korean, it is used as a cheer, like "go team" or "be strong" or "good luck" - which are rather different from the original English meaning. An example of a pure lexical invention is the Korean 스킨십 'skinship,' which does not exist in English; this is a word blend of English elements, and refers to affectionate touching (between friends or romantic partners) or what some psychologists in the 1970s called "skin hunger" - the need or desire to receive or give friendly physical contact, such as between friends, as well as between romantic partners. Below is a list of the more common examples that could be problematic for learners.
Korean words with altered meanings
| Konglish term | Original English word | Original English meaning | English meaning of Konglish term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| # 다이어트 | diet | (1) eating habits, (2) weight loss program | go on a diet, to diet | |
| # 매니큐어 | manicure | nail care | nail polish | |
| # 미팅 | meeting | group assembled for some purpose | group blind date, blind / group dating | |
| # 비닐 | vinyl | a particular type of plastic (chemical name) | plastic wrap / wrapping | |
| # 사이다 | cider | lemon-lime or clear soda | hot, spiced apple drink | |
| # 사인 | sign | (1) to sign or put one's signature on a document, (2) a written notice | a signature, to sign | |
| # 샤프 | sharp | a company name (Sharp, maker of pencils and other products) | mechanical pencil | |
| # 커닝 | cunning | sly, sneaky; clever, but in an evil way (e.g., a cunning fox) | cheating | |
| # 콘센트 | concentric | circles sharing the same center | electrical plug / plug-in, outlet, wall socket | |
| # 토스트 | toast | toasted bread | a toasted or grilled breakfast sandwich | |
| # 팬티 | pantie | women's underwear | underwear (men's or women's), cf. boxers, briefs | |
| # 핫도그 | hot dog | hot dog wiener (sausage) on white bread bun with mustard & ketchup | corndog | |
| # 핸들 | handle | graspable part, e.g., door handle, bag handle | steering wheel | |
| # 헌팅 | hunting | hunting animals (with a weapon) | trying to pick up guys / women (e.g., at a bar / club) | |
| # 호치키스 | Hotchkiss | a company (now defunct) that made staplers in the early 20th century | stapler | |
| # 화이탕 | fighting | a physical or verbal conflict | Go, team! (sports games); Cheer up! Be strong! (personal encouragement) | |
| # 팬시 | fancy | nice-looking, elaborate | stationery, esp. nicer or fancy-looking stationery |
Note: The Korean term 아르바이트 'arubait' is from the German Arbeit, not from English. This is the normal German word for work, but in Korean it refers to temporary or part-time work.
