This book provides comprehensive coverage of the Korean alphabet, Hangul, and includes a synthesis of research findings relating to reading in the non-Roman alphabet. This, in turn, contributes to the science of reading through an understanding of reading mechanisms that are essential for all writing systems, and that are particular for a given writing system. Hangul has been recognized as the worlds best alphabet, one of the great intellectual achievements of Mankind, and alphabets epitome, a star among alphabets by international linguists and historians. It is known that writing systems have evolved based on the ecological principle that visual signs are culturally selected to match objects found in natural scenes through selection pressures for optimal visual processing.  However, Hangul is an exception. It was purposely invented by King Sejong in the 15th century to combat the illiteracy prevalent at the time. The chapters excavate the historical background of Hangul, and the unique characteristics of Hangul that contribute to learnability for emergent readers and efficiency for skilled readers. The author presents empirical evidence of psycholinguistic research into reading Hangul,  building theories and presenting implications for the science of reading (psycholinguistics) and the science of writing (grapholinguistics). This book is relevant to students, researchers, and practitioners in applied linguistics, psycholinguistics, language studies, reading studies, and grammatology, with a particular focus on the Korean alphabet.

Hye K. Pae, Ph.D., is a professor of applied linguistics and psycholinguistics in the Program of Literacy and Second Language Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Her research interests include reading disabilities, psycholinguistics, and assessment. She has published numerous empirical articles in top-tier journals, one edited book with John Benjamins, and one two authored books with Springer. She has served on the review panels for the Institute of Educational Sciences/the US Department of Education and the Fulbright Program of the Institute of International Education.

Introduction: The Characteristics of Korean Spoken Language and Written Language.- Pathway to the Korean Alphabet.- Beyond the Invention: Trajectory, Modern Use, and Global Affordances.- Not Optimal Yet Near-Optimal Writing System and Hangul.- Orthographic and Phonological Representations in Hangul.- From the Phonemic Principle to the Morphophonological Principle.- The Topology of Hangul: Learnability, Efficiency, and Utility.- Processing of the Orthographic, Phonological, and Morphological Properties in Hangul.- The Reading Brain, Translinguistic Interactions, and Reading Effectiveness in Hangul.- Hanguls Unique Status among Scripts.- Theory Building: A Synergistic Model for Hangul.- Conclusion: Impacts on the Science of Writing, the Science of Writing, and Beyond.