사람

Korean

Alternative forms

Etymology

First attested in the Hunminjeong'eum haerye (訓民正音解例 / 훈민정음해례), 1446, as Middle Korean 사〯ᄅᆞᆷ (Yale: sǎlòm).

In Middle Korean, 사〯ᄅᆞᆷ (Yale: sǎlòm) was a derived substantive of 살〯다〮 (Yale: sǎl-tá, “to live”) with ᄋᆞᆷ (Yale: -om, nominalizer) (> modern (eum)), and thus literally meant "one who is alive".[1] It is no longer perceived as a derived noun by modern speakers.

Pronunciation

  • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [ˈsʰa̠(ː)ɾa̠m]
    • (file)
  • Phonetic hangul: [(ː)]
    • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.
Romanizations
Revised Romanization?saram
Revised Romanization (translit.)?salam
McCune–Reischauer?saram
Yale Romanization?sālam
  • South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: / 사 / 사

    Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the second syllable, and also heightens the subsequent suffixed syllable.

Noun

사람 (saram)

  1. human being, person
    Synonyms: 인간(人間) (in'gan, human being), (honorific) (bun), (dated or formal) (i)
    그러면 어떤 사람 되는 ?
    geureomyeon nae-ga eotteon saram-i doeneun geo-gess-eo?
    What kind of person would I be then?
    영국 사람
    Yeongguk saram
    A British person
    미국 사람
    Miguk saram
    An American person
  2. (law) a person (encompassing both legal and natural persons)
    Synonym: 인(人) (in)
    Hyponyms: 법인(法人) (beobin, legal person), 자연인(自然人) (jayeonin, natural person)

Derived terms

See also

Counter

사람 (saram)

  1. counter for people
    Synonym: 명(名) (myeong)
    학생 사람haksaeng se saramthree students

References

  1. Lee, Ki-Moon; Ramsey, S. Robert (2011) A History of the Korean Language, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 176
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