A Study of the Chungcheong Dialect as a Literary Dialect in the Pansori Lyrics of Park Dongjin
Authors: Song Mi kyoung 
Published: May 2023

This paper examines the Chungcheong dialect in Park Dongjin's pansori editorials from the perspective of “Literary Dialect,” focusing on phonological, morphological, and lexical issues, especially the morpho-grammatical aspects. Oral literature can be considered the epitome of regional literature because it is produced in the regional dialect. The Honam or Jeolla dialect secured the status of the official language post-20th century. The dialect or dialectal characteristics of the Chungcheong region have left distinct traces in Park Dongjin's pansori editorials. Given these circumstances, they are worthy of study, even though their importance may not be absolute or significant. Park Dongjin's native language was the Chungcheong dialect among a group of contemporary pansori singers who were predominantly from the Honam region. His linguistic ability to speak the Chungcheong dialect freely was an exception within the Pansori world; at the same time, it became a major requirement for the realization of the Chungcheong dialect as a literary language in his Pansori editorials. It is noteworthy that he incorporated the diminutives of famous singers from the Chungcheong region into his sonority system. This is evidenced by Kim Seokchang-je's “Sinyeonmajji Mabu Sasul,” which was incorporated into Park Dongjin-je Chunhyangga. A comparative analysis of aspects of the Chungnam dialect in the editorials of Park Dongjin's Chunhyangga, Sugungga, Heungboga, and Jeokbyeokga, with the editorials of Dongcho-je left by Kim Yeonsoo from Goheung, Jeollanam-do revealed the following: First, we can find the characteristics of the Chungnam dialect in the subjective investigations “-i” and “-ra,” the adverbial investigations “-da” and “-ega,”“-i,” by adding, “-like + iru (as),” and the auxiliary investigations “-hala” and “-malu.” The following endings are characteristic of the Chungnam dialect: “-dya,” a terminating ending that performs the semantic function of “-the-” in “report” or “recall,” “-gam,” an interrogative terminating ending, and “-sho” and “-sho/shu,” which are variations of “-sho,” an integrated form of “-shi-+yo.” Finally, when examining the use of auxiliary terms, the Chungnam dialect is evident in the words “-nagabyeo” and “-nabyeo,” which have the same semantic function as the auxiliary term “-(nga)nga/boda.” Lexical items of Chungnam dialect such as “Dolmak” in Sugungga and “Daetap” and “Maggie” are found in Heungboga. The realization of the Chungcheong dialect as a literary language in Park Dongjin's pansori editorials may be the result of the natural expression of Park Dongjin's native language. However, it can also be seen as intentional and strategic. First, it is possible that the choice of the Chungcheong dialect itself was a strategy for organizing and transmitting Zhongze Pansori. The interrelatedness between the Chungcheong dialect as a culture of regional identity and the transmission of Juseongje Pansori is evident. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the Chungcheong dialect as another part of its composition and a literary dialect. It was definitely his choice to include the “Sinyeonmajji Mabu Sasul” by Kim Seokchang, who was from the same hometown, in his Chunhyangga. Thus, it became the only copy in existence that includes the “Sinyeonmajji Mabu Sasul” by Kim Seokchang, a famous singer of the Joongo-je. Second, it is possible that Park intentionally used distinctive Chungcheong dialect grammar to fit the context of the Pansori editorials. The use of the interrogative ending “-gam” in the conversation between Heungbo and his wife in Heungboga reveals the grammatical features of the Chungcheong dialect that Park intentionally used. In Heungboga, the Chungcheong dialect ending “-gam” functions as a device for realistically