The origin of Sino-Korean

The purpose of the present study is to examine the origin of Sino-Korean. Karlgren and Park reach more or less the same conclusion that Sino-Korean originates from the language of the Qieyun. In this study, I propose that Sino-Korean is derived from the northern Late Middle Chinese in about 7-8 centuries, particularly from the new standard language of Changan in the period of Late Middle Chinese. The decisive pieces of evidence are: (1) the Middle Sino-Korean [z-] or zero initial corresponding to the Middle Chinese ri initial reflects the denasalized [r-] in Late Middle Chinese rather than the palatal nasal in Early Middle Chinese, (2) Sino-Korean reflects a palatalized [-y-] after the velars in Division II which emerged from Late Middle Chinese, and (3) Sino-Korean reflects the merged finals of Late Middle Chinese rather than the complicated finals of Early Middle Chinese.