가즈오 이시구로의 소설 <클라라와 태양>에 반영된 인공지능 로봇과 인간의 의사소통 연구 - 언어인류학적 관점을 중심으로

초록

This article aims to analyze various aspects of the verbal communication reflected in Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel -Klara and the Sun- from the standpoint of linguistic anthropology. The main character Klara is an AI(artificial intelligence) robot, in the form of a female AF(artificial friend), designed to communicate with younger persons. Hence Klara plays a vital role as an AI of looking after Josie and of being friendly and considerately communicating with her. Furthermore, Klara is encouraged to imitate Josie’s language, speech, and behavior. Nevertheless, when Josie gradually recovers her health and becomes an adult soon to enter university, Josie no longer needs Klara as her best friend, discarding her just like children’s dolls at a waste disposal site. Moreover, this novel subtly describes terms of address and terms of reference between Klara and a variety of people, such as Josie, Rick, Josie’s mother, Rick’s mother, Josie’s father, Melania, and Mr. Henry Capaldi. Klara addresses Josie and Rick by their first names since they are her friends. However, when Klara addresses Josie’s mother, Rick’s mother and Josie’s father, she uses awkward terms of address such as “madam” and “Title+first name.” Furthermore, this unaccustomed verbal communication is visible when Klara addresses Melania by only her “title” of ”housekeeper.“ In human society, verbal communication often bridges social networks and establishes solidarity among community members. Eventually, an artificial friend like Klara, who is a perfect AI robot, may help people who need company by chatting with them whenever they want. However, as shown in -Klara and the Sun-, it may be limited, for as people mature, their social status and intimacy with their counterparts and conversations may change, leading them to develop additional forms of verbal communication. The proper usage of both terms of address and terms of reference is not merely a matter of language practices but also deeply relates to a society’s social and cultural elements.

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