American Journal Of Philological Sciences
65
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue05 2025
PAGE NO.
65-67
10.37547/ajps/Volume05Issue05-19
Differences in The Meanings of The Terms
표준어
,
방언
and
사투리
Toshturdiyeva Shokhista
Uzbekistan State World Languages University, Korean Philology, Uzbekistan
Received:
14 March 2025;
Accepted:
10 April 2025;
Published:
12 May 2025
Abstract:
This research aims to explain the distinctions between the Korean linguistic terms
표준어
(standard
language),
방언
(dialect), and
사투리
(regional dialectal speech). Many people are not clearly aware of the
differences among these three concepts. Therefore, I will attempt to present a scientifically grounded analysis.
Keywords:
Standard language, dialect, regional speech.
Introduction:
This study particularly focuses on the
misconceptions held by Uzbek students regarding the
terms
방언
,
사투리
,
표준어
.
방언
refers to a regional or social language variety used
by people living in a specific area. It is a structured form
of language that constitutes a variant within a larger
linguistic system. Each dialect possesses its own
distinctive linguistic system and is used by a particular
region or social group. The term
방언
should be
understood more broadly, encompassing a wider
meaning as a general concept for dialects. Moreover, it
is a more formal term, often employed in academic
contexts. According to the
우리말샘
dictionary,
방언
is
defined as:
1. “A speech system that differs within the same
language depending on region or social class”;
2. “Words or speech used only in specific regions that
are not part of the standard language”
.
표준어
, as previously discussed, is the standardized
form of a language established to reduce
communication difficulties. In Korea, the standard
language is based on the Seoul dialect, which
represents the current form of the standard language.
From a social class perspective, it is the language used
by the so-
called “cultural class.” It serves as the
linguistic norm in literary and official contexts. As
summarized earlier, the standard language, though
functionally distinct, technically belongs to the
category of dialects. Thus, in a broader linguistic sense,
even standard language is a form of dialect.
사투리
refers not to the standard literary language, but
specifically to regional dialects. When the spoken
language used is not standard, but regional, the term
사투리
is more appropriate. Among the trio of
방언
,
사투리
, and
지역어
(regional language),
사투리
is the
most commonly used term referring to a non-standard,
regionally spoken variety.
There are various phonetic variations of this word
—
사투리
,
사토리
,
싸투리
,
사트리
—
depending on
region, but
사투리
is the most widely accepted and
earliest documented form. Historical records support
this, showing that the term
사투리
first appeared in
written texts in the late 19th century. For instance, the
earliest appearance is found in the 1895 publication
국한회어
. That text also includes the variant
사토리
.
Based on such historical evidence, it is reasonable to
conclude that the term
사투리
has been in use since
the late 19th century.
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
The Difference Between the Standard Language and
Dialect
According to the book Korean Dialectology, the
relationship between standard language and dialect
can be summarized in ten key points:
1. The standard language is an artificial construct
developed to prevent linguistic fragmentation and
promote national unity, while dialects are naturally and
freely distributed among the populace.
2. Standard languages are governed by systematic
regulations, rules, and official documents, whereas
dialects lack such formal structuring.
3. The standard language tends to be stable and fixed,
while dialects are not always consistent or stable.
4. The standard language is widely used across regions
and social classes within a linguistic community. In
contrast, dialects are limited to specific regions or
social groups.
5. The standard language is a product of governmental
linguistic policy, whereas dialects are more organic
expressions of the people’s local feelings and emotions.
While dialects may lack the precision and complexity of
standard language, they are distinct in their emotional
richness and sense of community connection.
6. The standard language usually originates from the
language spoken in the political, economic, social, and
cultural center of a nation. In the case of Korea, the
standard language is based on the dialect of Seoul, the
political and social capital.
7. The standard language has specifically established
rules for both written and spoken forms. Dialects, on
the other hand, do not follow set rules and are rarely
used in written form in broader society.
8. Standard languages possess greater communicative
power than dialects due to their broader social and
geographical reach.
9. For speakers who use their regional dialects, those
dialects reflect the emotions and cultural identity of
their specific region. However, the standard language is
characterized by its formal and regulated nature,
setting it apart from dialects in this regard.
10. The standard language is an artificially developed
linguistic form subject to orthographic rules. In
contrast, dialects have evolved naturally, shaped by
local customs and traditions, and represent a more
organic form of language .
Distinction Between
방언
and
사투리
. Many people
struggle to distinguish between these two terms. Let
us explore the differences:
1.
방언
is the older term historically. The term
사투리
began appearing in written records from the late 19th
century and, by the 1930s, was being used in contrast
to the standard language. In early 20th-century
newspaper articles, both terms were often presented
with negative connotations, implying they were
linguistic forms that needed to be eradicated . Over
time, however, more positive views began to emerge.
2. In terms of contextual usage,
방언
is primarily used
in academic settings, while
사투리
is more commonly
found in everyday, casual contexts. A study by Ahn
Juhyun and Ahn Mi-ae (2021) analyzing articles from
2004 to 2021 found that titles using
방언
often
included personal or place names and nouns, reflecting
a more formal and structured context (e.g Gyeongsang
방언
, Seobuk
방언
, Jeju
방언
). In contrast,
사투리
appeared more often in headlines using verbs and full
sentences, expressing natural and lively everyday
speech. Examples include:
• “
니
내
좋아하나
?
⋯
영화
‘
기적
’
당돌한
첫사랑
윤아
저
같대요
”
(Dong-A Ilbo, Sept. 15, 2021)
• “
영파이다
?
쉬도
몬하고
? 1000
만
원
걸었다
경북
사투리
시험
”
(JoongAng Ilbo, Sept. 21, 2021) .
These examples show that
방언
tends to appear in
nominal or descriptive sentence structures, while
사투리
reflects colloquial, verb-centered expressions
typical of casual speech.
3.
방언
is frequently used in academic publications and
scholarly discourse, whereas
사투리
is widely used in
news media, daily conversation, and on the internet.
According to a study by Ahn Juhyun and Ahn Mi-ae
analyzing newspaper articles published from 1920 to
1999, the term
사투리
appeared a total of 4,612 times.
Of these, 2,121 instances were in contexts related to
everyday life, culture, or literature (e.g
사투리
competitions,
사투리
performances, references to
public figures). In contrast, it was used only 22 times in
the fields of IT and science, showing its limited
presence in technical domains .
4.
방언
is a broad concept that can also include the
standard language (
표준어
) as a form of official dialect.
사투리
, however, specifically refers to local dialects
that are not part of the standard language. Linguist Ma
Hakbong, in his study “A Study on Effective Rhythm
Acquisition for Performing in Dialects”, clarifies: “Since
the language examined in this research is not the
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
67
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
standard language but a local dialect, it is more
accurate to refer to it as
사투리
”
.
5. In English,
방언
is most often translated as “dialect.”
사투리
, on the other hand, is typically translated as
“vernacular”
. The term vernacular denotes the
everyday language spoken in a specific region,
especially as distinguished from a refined or literary
language . The Oxford English Dictionary defines
vernacular as “the language or dialect spoken by the
ordinary people in a particular country or
region,”
which corresponds closely with the Korean concept of
사투리
.
6. Some sources treat bang-eon and
사투리
as
synonyms, although their usage, context, and
connotation differ significantly.
This study has explored the nuanced differences
between the terms
표준어
(standard language),
방언
(dialect), and
사투리
(vernacular) within the context of
the Korean language. While
방언
and
사투리
are often
used interchangeably, they differ in historical origin,
usage context, and connotation. Bang-eon is primarily
employed in academic and formal discourse,
encompassing both standard and regional forms of the
language, whereas
사투리
refers specifically to non-
standard, regionally spoken varieties and is widely used
in everyday, informal contexts. The standard language
(
표준어
), by contrast, serves as a regulated, codified
linguistic
system
developed
for
national
communication and unity. Understanding these
distinctions is crucial, especially for learners and
researchers of Korean, to avoid misinterpretations and
to appreciate the sociolinguistic richness embedded in
the language’s regional varieties.
REFERENCE
고영순
.
일상어
(vernacular)
목회상담
.
한국목회상담학회
. 2016
마학봉
.
사투리
연기를
위한
효과적인
운율
습득방법
연구
. 2012.
안주현
,
안미애
.
방언
사투리
지역어에
대한
인식과
사용
양상
비교
연구
.
한국사회언어학회
. 2022.
이진호
역
(
小
仓進平
),
『
한국어
방언
연구』
(
광주
:
전남대학교출판부
2009).
https://www.riss.kr/link?id=A108279872
https://namu.wiki/w/%EB%B0%A9%EC%96%B8
