사회적 코노테이션 기술의 필요성-「役人」「公務員」을 예로-

Abstract

Using the words ‘Yakunin; and ’Komuin’ as examples, this paper examines the necessity for describing social connotation. Although ‘Yakunin’ and ‘Komuin’ are recognized as synonyms, their definitions in Japanese dictionaries are almost the same or tend to be tautological. In this paper the meaning of words reflecting social reality and values is defined as "social connotation". Orthodox semantics rarely describes social connotation in a dictionary because connotation has been perceived in a highly subjective and peripheral terms. But some pioneering dictionaries such as SINMEIKAI KOKUGOJITEN tried description of words that focused on the concept of connotation, and this paper discusses how social connotation is a useful concept of meaning for our communication by verifying the description of ‘Yakunin’ and ‘Komuin’ in SINMEIKAI KOKUGOJITEN. Through the description of social connotation, this study examines the sociocultural values of modern Japanese society reflected in language use. It improves on the limitations of the denotation in orthodox Japanese dictionaries and suggests a model of semantic description that includs social connotation.