A Comparative Study of “Marriage Process-Related Words” in the First and Seventh Editions of the Modern Chinese Dictionary การศึกษาเปรียบเทียบคำศัพท์เกี่ยวกับกระบวนการการแต่งงาน ในพจนานุกรมภาษาจีนร่วมสมัย (现代汉语词典) ฉบับที่ 1 กับฉบับที่ 7

Abstract

This study examines the Modern Chinese Dictionary by comparing its first edition (1978) and seventh edition (2016), with a focus on words related to the marriage process. A specialized corpus of marriage-related terms was constructed, and the theory of language change and lexical semantics were employed to conduct a diachronic comparative analysis of the inclusion, deletion, and semantic modification of relevant entries. The findings reveal that while the seventh edition retains a portion of traditional marriage vocabulary, it significantly expands to include new terms that reflect contemporary marriage concepts and socio-cultural realities, such as “闪婚” (flash marriage), “婚介” (marriage agency), and “婚照” (wedding photo). These additions demonstrate a close interaction between language and social transformation. However, the deletion of high-frequency general terms such as “婚期” (wedding date) and “证婚人” (wedding witness) raises concerns about the rationale behind lexicographic decisions. At the level of semantic interpretation, the marriage-related entries show multi-dimensional evolution, including the expansion and reduction of meanings, refinement of definitions, and enhanced labeling of stylistic registers. These changes reflect a shift in the Modern Chinese Dictionary from static description toward dynamic pragmatic standardization. This study not only uncovers the evolution of ritual vocabulary in the normative linguistic system of modern Chinese, but also, from a socio-linguistic and lexicographical perspective, explores how authoritative dictionaries respond to cultural continuity and contemporary ideology. The findings contribute theoretical and empirical insights for future research in wedding-related language, Chinese lexicography, and language policy formulation.