This study comparatively analyzes the usage contexts of the HAN-character word ‘國家’ (nation/state/country) in Korean and Vietnamese. Utilizing newspaper corpora from the Leipzig Corpora Collection (LCC), we extracted and analyzed words and bi-grams co-occurring with ‘國家’ in each language.
The analysis yielded three primary conclusions. First, substantial commonalities were identified in the usage of the ‘國家’ concept in both languages, particularly in contexts of international relations, government and administration, economic development, and national security. This reflects the shared fundamental meanings and functions of the ‘國家’ concept within the HAN-character cultural sphere. Second, differences in the usage of the ‘國家’ concept between the two languages were also observed. In Vietnamese, combinations with terms related to education, sports, and environment were more frequent, while in Korean, references to government institutions and policies were more prevalent. These differences reflect the distinct sociocultural contexts and historical experiences of each country. Third, the analysis of usage contexts of this HAN-character word enabled an empirical understanding of similarities and differences between the languages.
The significance of this study lies in three aspects. First, it presents a methodology for systematically analyzing the usage contexts of HAN-character words. Second, it empirically elucidates cultural and social contextual differences reflected in language use. Third, these research findings can contribute to enhancing mutual understanding between Korea and Vietnam, and serve as foundational data applicable to practical fields such as language education, translation, and international communication.
Future research should extend this methodology to other HAN-character words shared by Korean and Vietnamese, and incorporate more complex language pattern analyses to deepen the scope of investigation..