어른

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 얼〯운〮 (Yale: ělGwún).

Etymologically from the verb root 얼ㅇ (Yale: èlG-, “to have sex; to copulate; to marry”) and the gerundive suffix 운 (Yale: -wún): "one who is married/has sex" (Lee and Ramsey 2011, p. 233). Alternatively from the related 얼우 (Yale: elGwu-, “to marry (off)”) and the same suffix: "one who is married". No longer perceived as such by modern speakers, as the source verbs are obsolete.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ˈɘ(ː)ɾɯn]
• Phonetic hangul: [어(ː)른]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	eoreun
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	eoleun
McCune–Reischauer?	ŏrŭn
Yale Romanization?	ēlun

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 어른의 / 어른에 / 어른까지

  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

어른 • (eoreun)

1. grownup, adult, elder, senior

   Synonyms: (both formal) 성인(成人) (seong'in), 대인(大人) (daein)

   Antonyms: 애 (ae), 아이 (ai), (polite) 어린이 (eorini)

   어른들이 이야기한단다. ― Eoreun-deur-i iyagihandanda. ― The adults are talking.

Related terms

• 어르신 (eoreusin, “senior, elderly”)

Middle Korean

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əlɨn/, [əɾɨn]

Adverb

어른 (èlùn)

1. quickly, at once
   • 1459, 月印釋譜 / 월인석보 [Worin seokbo], page Preface 2b:

     瞥(펴ᇙ〮)은〮 누네〮 어른 디〯날 ᄊᆞᅀᅵ〮오〮

     PYÉLQ-ún nwùn-éy èlùn tǐnàl.s-sòzí-wó

     [The Chinese word] 瞥 (piē) means, "the interval of something passing quickly before the eyes."

Descendants

• Korean: 얼른 (eolleun)