I know there have been some discussion on TBW about how the word "podaegi" should be spelled and how it's pronounced, so I thought I'd post an entry here for people who are curious. There are currently different ways of spelling the word: 포대기 - podaegi, podegi, pod, podagi, etc.
Spelling & Pronounciation:
The reason that there are multiple spellings of the same word is because Korean words are transliterated into English. Korean is based on a phonetic alphabet system so people may spell each syllable differently than others. For example, the Korean last name "bpak" may be spelled: Park, Pak, Paik, Baik, Bak, etc. So what is the correct spelling for "podaegi"? The most correct would be "podaegi" or "podegi", but the way you say it is to separate the word into 3 syllables:
"poh" - as in "pole"
"deh" - as in "dead"
"gee" - as in "geek"
It would be incorrect to spell it "podagi" since it will sound like: "poh" "dah" "gee" to someone who is used to the transliteration of the Korean word. I don't think there's such a word in Korean, but I could be wrong. It wouldn't be bad to call it a "pod" since it's easy to remember and easy to say. Unfortunately, if you asked a Korean what a "pod baby carrier" is, they'd have no clue.
Meaning & Origin:
Now, what is the meaning of the word "podaegi"? I've spent some time asking my folks and friends who know Korean well, and this is what I've discovered. In modern day Korea, the word "podaegi" means "baby carrier". Now, why is it called a "podaegi"?
Background: The Korean speaking language has been in existance for thousands of years, but we borrowed a lot from the Chinese characters when we didn't have a national written language. So since the Chinese spoken language is different than the Korean spoken language, we have developed Korean words that have a parallel meaning in Chinese. One of those words is "po-dae". The strictly Korean word is "jah-roo". They both mean a large sack that you can carry items in.
Use of the word: In olden days, they used a "po-dae" to carry and store flour, salt and other items like that. It was made out of hemp (yes, that's right, Koreans have been using hemp for a long time... not sure if they smoked the marajuana or not though), and hemp is called "sahm-bae" (s-ah-m-beh). Hemp sacks were used because they reduce humidity build up in the items, so it was also used to bury the dead to preserve them better. Podae were also made out of cotton. Somewhere down the line, someone added the last syllable "gi" and started using the word "podaegi" to describe the strapped baby blanket used to tie the baby to the mom. Most likely, it was because it was like a sack that they carried to hold the baby just as a "podae" was used to carry flour and salt.
You may also find the term 아기띠 (ah-gee-dtee) or 띠 (dtee) for short used to mean "baby carrier" as it's more a common term for them. "Ah-gee" means "baby". If you're talking to a Korean, and you want to purchase a baby carrier, you can use the term "podaegi," and if they look at you with a blank stare, use the term "dtee" or "ah-gee-dtee". Most people will understand when you say "dtee" though.
since the Chinese spoken language is different than the Korean spoken language, we have developed Korean words that have a parallel meaning in Chinese. One of those words is "po-dae".
Posted by: Ergo Baby Carrier | February 17, 2010 at 05:31 AM
Dtee is only used in the summer, and has no blanket attached ( belt only), also used for older kids (larger)
Posted by: Mike | September 22, 2011 at 02:06 PM