A Corpus-Based Study on the Semantic and Functional Expansion of the Korean Adverb ‘Ildan’ - Using <Messenger Corpus> -

This study investigates the polysemous characteristics of the Korean adverb ‘ildan’ through corpus methodology. The analysis was conducted from two perspectives. First, using the messenger corpus from the <모두의 말뭉치>, we compared and analyzed the semantic and functional differences between ‘ildan’ and semantically similar adverbs such as ‘meonjeo’ (first), ‘useon’ (first/primarily), and ‘jamkkan’ (briefly). Second, we empirically verified how ‘ildan’ extends its usage as a discourse marker through quantitative methodology. For the theoretical framework, we adopted Sperber & Wilson’s Relevance Theory to systematically explain how the meaning and function of ‘ildan’ are flexibly adjusted according to context. By analyzing various contextual realizations of ‘ildan’ in the messenger corpus, we empirically and quantitatively verified the process of its expansion from basic meaning to discourse marker. This study has the following significance. First, it complemented the limitations of previous research by empirically identifying subtle semantic differences between ‘ildan’ and similar adverbs through corpus analysis. Second, it systematically analyzed the discourse expansion process of ‘ildan’, demonstrating that this lexical item functions as a discourse marker beyond its role as a simple temporal adverb.