한편 기존의 논의에서 조선의 외국어 교육의 특징은 첫째 유학생 파견, 둘째 원어민 교사의 채용, 셋째 역관들의 모국어 사용을 통제하는 것 등이 지적되었다. 그런데 17세기 이후의 역관 가계에 주목하면 여기에 역관의 세습화와 외국어 조기 교육이 조선의 외국어 교육의 특징으로 추가될 수 있다.Since Sayeokwon(司譯院) has founded in the late of Koryeo Dynasty, it has continued existence as a special institution of foreign language education during about 600 years. It established Sahak(四學) which was composed of Hanhak(漢學), Monghak(蒙學), Waehak(倭學) and Yeojinhak(女眞學). Sahak was, however, not established from in the early period of Choseon. When Sayeokwon was founded at that time, it was composed of only Hanhak and Monghak. From that time Waehak and Yeojinhak were added in 1414 and in King Sejo's period in turn. But Yeojinhak was changed into Cheonghak(淸學) after the Imjinwaeran, Japanese invasions of Korea, and Byeongjahoran, Second Manchu invasion of Korea. On the other hand, the rank of Sahak was change into Hanhak, Cheonghak, Waehak, and Monghak as soon as Cheong held hegemony in East Asia.
We has called the foreign language textbooks in Sayeokwon as Yeokhakseos(譯學書). Few Yeokhakseos survived but some of them existed and had influence up to now. They are Nogeoldae(老乞大) and Paktongsa(朴通事) among Hanhakseos (漢學書) and Cheophaesineo(捷解新語) among Waehakseos(倭學書). Although we do not know its writer or editor Nogeoldae was written with the writer's abundant experience. Nogeoldae was translated into Mongolian and Japanese language. Cheophaesineo was written by Kang Woo-seong(康遇聖) who has made a living during about 10 years in Japan and mastered the Japanese language and culture. This book has, therefore, had an effect on the other Waehakseos. Nogeoldae has showed the history of Chinese languages between Haeryanyu(漢兒言語) during Yuan dynasty, Nanj?ng Gu?nhua(南京官話) during Ming dynasty and Beijing Gu?nhua(北京官話) during Qing dynasty.
On the characteristics of the foreign language education in Choseon dynasty, Cheong(2002) has presented the following three points; the dispatch of the students studying abroad, the utilization of the native-speaker teachers, and the prohibiton of the usage of the mother tongue. I think they are correct but I would like to add up two more points; the hereditary eduction of the Chosoen interpreters and the early education on foreign languages on which we can confirm through Cheollyeong Hyeon clan(川寧玄氏).