한국의 노인인식에 관한 연구―주요 사서에 나타난 노인 존경과 나이 존경 표현을 중심으로―

Abstract

This paper examines the usage of major age-related concepts in three major Korean historical records: History of the Three Kingdoms, History of Koryŏ, and Annals of the Dynasty of Chosŏn, focusing on the usage of age-relation vocabulary in Korean language: age (yŏnse 年歲 and yŏllyŏng 年齡), old age (noryŏng 老齡, koryŏng 高 齡, nonyŏn 老年, noin 老人), and the respect for the old (kyŏngno 敬老, talchon 達尊, ch’itŏk 齒德, chonkonyŏn 尊高年, sangch’i 尙齒). Using the Korean History Database of the National Institute of Korean History, this paper aims to trace the transition of major concepts throughout the history. The major findings indicate that the perception of the old and the usage of related terms have changed significantly. Major findings are: 1) yŏnse did not imply honorifics and nonyŏn was not used as a categorical concept as in contemporary Korea; 2) The terms yŏllyŏng, noryŏng, and koryŏng have been used in the same meaning as in contemporary since the 20th century; 3) The concept of noin has become a categorical concept referring to the old population in general since the Chosŏn Dynasty; 4) The frequency of the appearance of the term kyŏngno, which implies the respect for the old, is unexpectedly low in the Annals; 5) talchon and ch’itŏk, the most honorific terms, had linked respect with not only age but also with social status or learning and virtue; 6) The scope for the use of chonkonyŏn, which implies respect for old age, had widened from being restricted to high-ranking government officials to being used for non-officials.