Research on Cross-Linguistic Semantic Change Patterns of “Left-Right” Terms Using Large Language Model–Generated Corpora

As a universal spatial concept, the typical directional terms of “left–right” has undergone continuous semantic extension into domains such as politics and culture, yet systematic cross-linguistic comparisons remain insufficient. Based on the framework of lexical typology, this study conducts a quantitative analysis of the semantic evolution paths and associative patterns of “left–right” terms across ten languages, including Chinese, English, and Norwegian. Building upon definitions from authoritative dictionaries, we employ large language models (LLMs) to generate supplementary corpora, which are subsequently reviewed and proofread by native speakers. These data are used to construct a cross-linguistic semantic network of the “left–right” pair. Findings reveal a common three-stage evolutionary trajectory “spatial→political→cultural” with strong cross-linguistic consistency in the corresponding semantic shifts. This provides new empirical support for the cross-linguistic universality of binary-oppositional concepts and enriches typological evidence for the semantic evolution of spatial terms.