Book: Taekwondo Terminology

Statue of King Sejong

Taekwondo Terminology contains a large dictionary of Korean terms that are used in Taekwondo. It also has a section explaining the Korean language: how to pronounce Korean letters and words, how the language was developed, and some of the basic rules of grammar. It is ideal if you want to learn more Korean terminology that’s relevant to Taekwondo, or if you want to improve your pronunciation of Korean words and phrases.

Why did you write it?

Korean is a difficult language for English speakers. It’s difficult for English speakers to pronounce, and the grammar is very different to that of English. The result of this is that a lot of Taekwondo students around the world are learning Korean incorrectly. Many learn Korean from lists of vocabulary that’s written phonetically using English letters, but it’s difficult to accurately represent Korean using English letters, so many students learn incorrect pronunciations of Korean words.

Taekwondo Terminology aims to resolve this. It is intended to be a single, authoritative source of Korean terms that are used in Taekwondo, and it also contains guidance on how to pronounce them. With a copy of this book, it will be easier for you to lookup what a given term is, and how it is pronounced, and what its precise meaning is.

What belt do I have to be to read it?

This book is suitable for anyone of any belt in Taekwondo. It may be more useful to higher grades and black belts, as they often have to learn more Korean terminology as part of their training. However, it is suitable for all grades and degrees.

Is it for Changheon-yu (ITF) or Kukki-won (WTF) students?

It is for both. The Korean terms used in all major styles of Taekwondo are included in the book, and where one word is preferred by a given style, it is indicated, so that you know to use that term rather than another one with a similar meaning.

Where can I buy it?

Taekwondo Terminology is available on Amazon. If you’re in the U.K., follow this link:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Taekwondo-Terminology-B-T-Milnes/dp/1500286230/

And if you’re in the U.S., follow this link:

https://www.amazon.com/Taekwondo-Terminology-B-T-Milnes/dp/1500286230/

The book is available on other websites too, such as Barnes and Noble, and occasionally one will appear on eBay.