중국어 인물지칭어 감정표현의 의소(義素)

Abstract

In order to understand the internal composition and semantic relations of Chinese terms of address used for expressing positive/negative emotions, this research compared and analyzed the semantic features of Chinese terms used in addressing a person. The scope of the research is modern Chinese terms of address used for expressing positive/negative emotions, including partials from archaic Chinese and neologisms used to address a person, which serve as comparison material to interpret semantic changes over time. The research findings are as follows. In most cases, Chinese terms of address contain positive connotations when the addressee meets the appropriate standards of competence, physical appearance, virtue, etc. In the opposite case, they have negative connotations. However, the feature [financial strength] is usually used with a negative connotation regardless of the person’s standards, indicating the general population’s negative attitude towards someone with [+financial strength]. The relationship between Chinese semantic features of feminine and masculine terms of address and the expression of positive/negative emotions is also related to societal demands and standards for men and women. Especially, [competence] is considered a crucial social standard for men, and [physical appearance] has greater importance than [competence] for women. [Sexual purity] is a semantic feature often related to the expression of emotions about women, in which [-sexual purity] has been deeply related to negative connotations for feminine terms of address, from archaic to modern day Chinese. There are instances in which expressions of emotion are demonstrated differently in Chinese terms of addresses in neologisms compared to archaic forms. These terms of address, when used in neologisms, show partial changes and newly added qualities of semantic features.