Loanword spelling dictionary: handling loanwords and spelling consistency
To handle loanwords from foreign languages consistently, Bareun includes a loanword spelling dictionary,
foreign-exam-dict.fb. It holds examples that follow the Korean loanword transcription rules,
which reduces cases where the same word is written differently from text to text, and it serves as a basis for spell checking.
This dictionary is included in builds that contain the spell-check feature.
Why loanword spelling is tricky
When a loanword is rendered into Hangul based on its original pronunciation, the spelling easily varies. People often write the same word differently, and it differs from text to text.
| Variant spellings | Standard per the rules |
|---|---|
| 메세지 / 메시지 (message) | 메시지 |
| 컨텐츠 / 콘텐츠 (content) | 콘텐츠 |
| 악세사리 / 액세서리 (accessory) | 액세서리 |
Bareun holds examples that follow the National Institute of Korean Language (NIKL) loanword transcription rules as a dictionary, and it compares input loanwords with the standard spelling to make them consistent.
What are the loanword transcription rules?
The loanword transcription rules (외래어 표기법) are NIKL regulations for writing foreign words in Hangul. Bareun bases its work on a dictionary of examples that follow these rules, and it points to the standard spelling instead of changing a spelling arbitrarily.
Partial word search
Loanwords often combine with other words to form compounds. Bareun's loanword dictionary supports partial word search, so it can find the loanword part inside a compound.
graph LR
IN["Input eojeol"] --> SUB[Partial word search];
SUB --> M{Matches a loanword example?};
M -- Match --> FIX[Correct to the standard spelling];
M -- No match --> KEEP[Keep the original];
Corrections in the FOREIGN_WORD category
Loanword spelling corrections are labeled with FOREIGN_WORD (loanword transcription rules) among the revision categories.
When this category is attached, it means "corrected according to the loanword transcription rules,"
so the basis is clear when you review the corrections.
| Revision category | Meaning |
|---|---|
FOREIGN_WORD | Spelling correction under the loanword transcription rules |
STANDARD | Correction under the standard language rules |
TYPO | Simple typo fix |
Frequently asked questions
Q. Which words does the loanword spelling dictionary cover?
It covers loanword examples under the loanword transcription rules. It points to the standard spelling for loanwords whose spelling
easily varies, such as 메시지, 콘텐츠, and 액세서리.
Q. Does it catch loanwords inside compounds too?
Yes. The loanword dictionary supports partial word search, so it also finds loanword parts inside compounds.
Q. How are loanword corrections shown?
Loanword spelling corrections are labeled with the revision category FOREIGN_WORD.
They are distinguished from standard language corrections (STANDARD) and typos (TYPO).
Q. Which builds include the loanword dictionary?
foreign-exam-dict.fb is included in builds that contain the spell checker.
It is not in the basic build that does only morphological analysis.
Q. What basis is used to correct loanword spelling?
It holds examples under the NIKL loanword transcription rules as a dictionary. Bareun does not change spellings arbitrarily; it compares them with these standard spelling examples to make them consistent.