• 인문언어
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.321-347
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• 2002

The Russian language uses more words that imply collectivism than Western Indo-European languages. In Korean, the first-person plural pronouns are used more often than in Western languages. In this respect, Russian seems to stand closer to the latter, although typologically it belongs to the Indo-European family. The predominance of 'we' over 'I,' which took place in the history of the Russian language, had something to do with the Russian commune and the ecclesiastical and spiritual concept of 'sobornost' (equation omitted). A similarity between the Russian and the Korean nations lies in a collective way of life as compared to Western nations. The Russian concepts of (equation omitted) and (equation omitted) ('commune') have direct analogues in the Korean language. In all societies a commune involves a certain sense of collectivity, or spiritual unity of the people - 'sobornost' (equation omitted). Korean collectivity is more familial and moral in character, whereas Russian 'sobornost' is more spiritual. This has its direct reflection in Korean and Russian languages. One can say that a sort of a family version of Russian 'sobornost' takes place in Korean society.