Based on linguistic observations highlighted in the reference, Japanese shares significant vocabulary similarity with Korean due to extensive borrowing from Chinese.
Determining the "closest" language to Korean in terms of genetic relationship is a complex topic with ongoing debate among linguists. Korean is often considered a language isolate, meaning its relationship to other languages is not clearly established, although various theories link it to Japonic, Altaic, or other families.
However, languages can also show closeness through historical influence and borrowing, particularly in vocabulary.
Shared Vocabulary Through Chinese Influence
One of the most significant historical influences on both the Korean and Japanese languages is Chinese. Over centuries, both languages have borrowed a large number of words from Chinese, creating a considerable amount of shared vocabulary.
According to linguistic analyses mentioned in the reference, it is believed that:
- Approximately 60% of Korean words come from Chinese.
- Approximately 50% of Japanese words come from Chinese.
This extensive borrowing from a common source has resulted in a substantial overlap in the vocabulary of Korean and Japanese.
Lexical Similarity with Japanese
The shared vocabulary derived from Chinese is a major area of resemblance between Korean and Japanese. While their native core vocabularies and grammatical structures differ significantly, this common layer of Chinese loanwords means that many terms, especially those related to abstract concepts, education, science, and government, are similar in both languages.
This lexical connection, stemming from a shared history of adapting Chinese characters and words, is the primary similarity highlighted in the provided reference between Korean and Japanese.
| Language | Estimated Percentage of Vocabulary from Chinese |
|---|---|
| Korean | ~60% |
| Japanese | ~50% |
Based on the prominent lexical similarity resulting from the extensive borrowing from Chinese, as noted by linguists and highlighted in the reference, Japanese is the language that exhibits a significant degree of vocabulary similarity with Korean.
