“中國(듕귁)”과 “國之語音(나랏말ᄊᆞᆷ)”의 사이 - 鮮初 漢文·漢吏文·漢語와 訓民正音의 관계성을 중심으로

Abstract

This paper examines how fifteenth century Chosŏn ruling elites tried to use spoken and written languages to establish the royal house’s authority, which basically was the process of translation of the universal civilization of “Sinitic World” into Chosŏn’s soil. Conspicuous in early Chosŏn historical accounts is the dynasty’s preoccupation with language. King Sejong showed obsessive devotion to learning the spoken language of China proper. Diplomatic language of Hanliwen was a active component of study too. And ultimately, the Chosŏn phonetic alphabet (Kr. Hunminchŏng’ŭm 訓民正音) was systematized. However, because of the discourses on "National Language" in modern Korea, the central question – why the period saw such attention bestowed on learning Chinese and at the same time an attempt at creation of Chosŏn indigenous writing system – has not been answered by those scholars keen to understand the two phenomenal language issues as polar opposites, and to cast them as an inherent contradiction impossible to explain. Therefore, there is a need for a new perspective that transcends nationalism. In fact, the two functions Chosŏn alphabet served were to actualize the Ming court’s Shengjiao 聲教 through propagation of the Ming standardized language transliterated into the indigenous language, and to spread Chosŏn’s own sŏnggyo 聲教 with its indigenous language. These two roles, from a nationalist perspective, appear contradictory, but in reality, they shared a reciprocal relationship in the overall political scheme, with one being unable to do without the other.