earticle

영어

These days, our language, the Korean language, has been changed rapidly. Drastic meaning change is one of the changes. This thesis focuses on the very drastic meaning change. The purpose of this thesis is to find the words whose meaning has been changed or has been changing, to track their changing process and to try to find their final meaning. The words that are examined in this thesis are ‘삼촌(Samchon), 이모(Yimo), 아버님(Ahbu-nym), 어머님(Uhmu-nym), 언니(Uhnny), 애인(Ae-in), 얘(Ye), 쟤(Je).’ By examining these words, the drastic meaning changes are happened in noun words, adjective words, and adverb words, as well as in the pure korean words and in the Chinese words. The followings are the words that has gone through the meaning changes. In general, the changes are caused by the context expansion of meaning apply, the trait of meaning abstract, and the formal motivation loss. Samchon(uncle, in the original Korean meaning): (a) the unmarried young man, at the similar age of uncle, (b) the young man, at the similar age of uncle, (c) the middle-aged man, at the similar age of uncle, (d) the young man, (e) the unmarried young man, at the similar age of his/her own, (f) the unmarried, younger man, (g) the young man who buys things online on behalf of somebody. Yimo(aunt, especially mother's sister, in the original Korean meaning): the unmarried young woman, at the similar age of aunt, (b) the woman, at the similar age of aunt, (c) the middle-aged or an old-aged woman, at the similar age of aunt, (d) the middle-aged or an old-aged woman who employs prostitutes and manages prostitution, like a mistress of a brothel. Yimo-nym(aunt, especially mother's sister, in the original Korean meaning): the middle-aged or an old-aged woman, at the similar age of aunt. Ahbu-nym(father): (a) father in law (especially from the son-in-law), (b) an old-aged man, at the similar age of father, but not knowing him. Uhmu-nym(mother): (a) mother in law (especially from the son-in-law), (b) an old-aged woman, at the similar age of mother, but not knowing her. Uhnny(elder sister, in the original Korean meaning): the young woman. Ae-in(lover, in the original Korean meaning): the man and woman between lovers in the relationship of adultery. Ye(this people, in the original Korean meaning): this thing. Je(that people, in the original Korean meaning): that thing.