2019, Vol.66, No.

Korean Semantics 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 1.11

pISSN : 1226-7198 / eISSN : 2734-0171
https://journal.kci.go.kr/semantics

The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively examine the significance and limitations of the structural perspective study on lexical semantic relations, and to explore ways to view the expansion of semantic relations from an integrated perspective. The flow of research on semantic relations from the structuralist point of view was focused on examining how the perspective of ‘opposition’ has changed. In addition, through the contrast between structuralism and contextualism, we examined how the opposing perspectives of structure/context, langue/parole, and concept/use led to differences in looking at lexical semantic relations. Language is not perfectly systematic, but it is not totally disordered, and establishing a present system in the process of order and disorder cycles is the essential goal of lexical semantic research. To this end, concepts and usage can play a complementary role. In discussing the change and direction of the structuralism, there is a need to look at the semantic relations in an integrated manner and to capture aspects of the formation of new semantic relations. The semantic relations that have been discussed separately as ‘synonymy, antonymy, hyponymy’ are only partially shown to specify the whole lexical semantic system. It needs to be systematically integrated.

This paper aims at revealing the semantic relation in new words formation, based on Choi(2018), by dividing it into two categories of ‘between words’ and ‘word inside’. Firstly for ‘between words’, if we focus on the new words only in the output, hyponymy is the most productive method. However, if we focus on the new words including input as well, antonymy is the most productive method. This means that antonymy has a property of filling the gap between lexemes. In contrast, synonymy is the most unproductive method. This shows that synonymy causes both economical inefficiency and redundancy of lexicon. These aspects are applied similarly to the semantic relation of ‘word inside’. Antonymy is the most productive method in new words formation. And synonymy and hyponymy are unproductive in new words formation. Synonymy just has an effect of emphasis and hyponymy leads to redundancy. In spite of these distinctions, it is hard to deny that semantic relation takes some sort of role in new words formation regardless of ‘between words’ and ‘word inside’.

This study intends to investigate semantic relations of a headword, namely synonyms, references, honorific terms, humble terms, original lexical terms, abbreviated forms. For this study we are comparing the information on lexical semantic relations that has been compiled in The Great Dictionary of Standard Korean with The Dictionary for Korean Learner’s. We have presented the semantic relations following the five types of the Dictionary (synonyms, references, honorific terms, original lexical forms, abbreviated forms). Especially, when we are presenting the lexicographic presentation of synonyms, we must consider to provide consistent information on lexical enters and also make it convenient and efficient for language use or education.