Universal Journal of Educational Research Vol. 8(12A), pp. 7802 - 7808
DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.082568
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Distribution of Polysemes and Homonyms in Scientific Terms that Cause Difficulties in Science Learning in the Korean Language

Eunjeong Yun ^*
Science Education Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, 41566, Daegu, Korea

ABSTRACT

Science is not only a field for scientists to attain proficiency but also constitutes a field about which the general public should possess some basic knowledge. In this study, we analysed scientific terms with multiple meanings as one of the main factors that causes difficulties in students' science learning. We also inquired as to how many of these terms are included in the total scientific terms and the extent to which they are used in school education in South Korea. We collected those scientific terms in the field of Korean science, made a list of them and extracted polysemes and homonyms from the Standard Korean Language Dictionary. In addition, we extracted scientific terms used in middle and high school science textbooks and examined the ratio of polysemes and homonyms. The study found approximately 10,000 polysemes and 10,000 homonyms from over 380,000 types of scientific terms in Korea, and out of a total of 2,504 scientific terms extracted from secondary school science textbooks, about 900 (40%) were polysemes or homonyms.

KEYWORDS
Scientific Terminology, Polysemes, Homonyms, Science Learning

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Eunjeong Yun , "Distribution of Polysemes and Homonyms in Scientific Terms that Cause Difficulties in Science Learning in the Korean Language," Universal Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 8, No. 12A, pp. 7802 - 7808, 2020. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.082568.

(b). APA Format:
Eunjeong Yun (2020). Distribution of Polysemes and Homonyms in Scientific Terms that Cause Difficulties in Science Learning in the Korean Language. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(12A), 7802 - 7808. DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.082568.