Argument Structures of Predicates and Their Semantic Aspects in Korean.

서술어의 논항 구조와 의미적 특성에 관한 연구

  • 이영헌 (조선대학교 외국학 대학 영어과)
  • Published : 1998.12.01

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the syntactic criteria for determining a secondary predicates as a predicate modifier or a conjunction, and to formalize the semantic aspects of the [-ke] structure as a predicate in Korean. Syntactically, the [-ke] structure is considered to be a secondary predicate when the shared arguments appear in both the [-ke] structure and the main verb structure. On the other hand, if they do not appear in both structures, the [-ke] structure is considered to be a connective element. Semantically the [-ke] structure has numerous aspects such as depictives, resultatives, objectivity, and emphasis. The depictives of the secondary predicate can be formalize as $p{\wedge}q$ where p represents a propositional expression of the secondary predicate and q is a propositional expression of the main verb. Resultatives have the logical form $q{\rightarrow}{\Box}p$, because the consequence has to always be true. However, objectivity has the logical form $q{\rightarrow}{\diamondsuit}p$, because the consequence can be either true or false. Emphasis is represented as $q{\rightarrow}p{\uparrow}$ because the secondary predicate represents the polarity of the event.

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