한국 속담에 나타난 장애인 차별 표현

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the types and usages of Korean proverbs that refer to disability from a discriminatory perspective. The main source material on which this treatment is based can be found in the Standard Korean Language Dictionary published by The National Institute of the Korean Language. The body of this analysis addresses three primary issues that relate to: the types of proverbs, their linguistic forms and meanings, and their treatment in the media. In chapter 2, we classify disability-related proverbs in terms of five types and present typical proverbs that are representative of each category. The specific genres of disability-related proverbs refer to: visual impairment, hearing and speech impairment, all other physical disabilities, mental disorder or retardation, and collective representations of disability. In the first part of chapter 3, we enumerate the linguistic forms and meanings of disability-related proverbs. Here we note that the discriminatory meanings of these proverbs manifest through biased stereotypes such as: inability, not knowing one's place, and the dehumanization of the disabled. The disabled are viewed as passive and dependent beings whose twisted souls condemn them to the worst possible lives and justify their legitimation as targets of endless harassment. In the second part of chapter 3, we adopt a critical viewpoint that investigates the usage patterns of discriminatory proverbs in newspapers, magazines, and television reports. Through this process of observation, we have discerned a critical mass of proverbs that refer to discrimination against disabled individuals. These expressions are uncritically accepted in the media with the effect that they reinforce the preexisting social tendencies towards discrimination against the disabled.