말씀

• 말쌈 (malssam) – proscribed
• 말삼 (malsam), 말쌈 (malssam) – dialect
• 말ᄉᆞᆷ (malseum), 말삼 (malsam), 말슴 (malseum) – Early Modern

First attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean 말〯ᄊᆞᆷ (Yale: mǎlssòm).

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

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 말씀의 / 말씀에 / 말씀까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the second syllable, and also heightens the subsequent suffixed syllable.

말씀 • (malsseum)

1. (honorific) word or speech
   • Korean Protestant Bible, Yohan Bogeum (요한복음) (John) 1:1

     태초에 말씀이 계시니라, 이 말씀이 하나님과 함께 계셨으니, 이 말씀은 곧 하나님이시니라.

     Taecho-e malsseum-i gyesinira, i malsseum-i hananim-gwa hamkke gyesyeosseuni, i malsseum-eun got hananim-isinira.

     In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.