If we observe the younger generation's language of today, we can easily recognize that they frequently use '-yo' than the older generation. It means that the system of the honorific terms have simplified. At the same time, it also means that the role ...
If we observe the younger generation's language of today, we can easily recognize that they frequently use '-yo' than the older generation. It means that the system of the honorific terms have simplified. At the same time, it also means that the role of '-yo' is important for the younger generation. Therefore the study of '-yo' are very essential of understanding for modal system of Korean language.
Until now, the study of '-yo' hasn't been accomplished synthetic study including dialect allomorphs. They've separately studied dialect allomorphs of '-yo' such as '-yu' at the central dialect area, '-ye' at the southeast dialect area, '-yirau' at the southwest dialect area. That's why we need the study of '-yo' not separately but synthetically. My purpose of this thesis is to find the essence of Korean language through the synthetic study of '-yo'.
The summary of this thesis is as follows.
We have different forms of '-yi(da)' at each dialect area nowadays, which use only '-yi(da)' at Middle Age Korean in fifteen century.
They use '-yo', '-yu', '-yeo' at modal form of a declarative sentence, an interrogative sentence, an imperative sentence, an request sentence and an exclamatory sentence in the central dialect area. We use '-yo' all over the country. But '-yu' is used at Chungchyungnam-do, the south area of Gyeonggi-do, the part of Chungchyungbuk-do such Youngdong-gun. They use '-yeo' at Gyeongsangbuk-do and the part of Chungchyungbuk-do such as Chungwon-gun. They use '-ye' for all modal form at the southeast dialect area. People use '-ye' almost every area and some part of Gyeongbuk area is used '-yeo' suck as Gumi, Sunsan, Sangju. Like southwest dialect, they use '-yida' at Namhae, which is located by Junnam.
At southwest dialect, they use '-rau' for an declarative sentence, an interrogative sentence, an imperative sentence, an request sentence.'-rau' is used all over the southeast area.'-yeo' and '-yida' is used at Gawangyang, Yeosu, Gurye. Especially the northeast of Sunchun and Seungju are used '-yo'. They use unique forms '-yang' and '-ye' as Jeju-do.
I suppose the origin of '-yo' as 'yi+yi+o+yi'. If we search for their change progress, it becomes '-yi' after '-yi(da)' which combined with the morpheme of respect form '-yi'. Then 'o' is combined with '-yi' and it becomes '-o(y)i'. Soon it is condensed '-oi' form and uses. After that '-yi' is changed with '-o' and '-yi' and '-o' is combined and bocome '-yo'.'-o' from an object respect morphem '-sab' doesn't have the respect function. We have the general grammar principle that respect of hearers or the modal morphem are located at the ending of a sentence. Therefore '-o' is not only located the ending of a sentence which express for the relation with speaker and hearer but also isn't '-o' which has the respect function out of '-sab'. This time, '-o' already has the respect morphem '-yi'.
If we think that '-yo' is from '-i(y)o', '-yo' and '-i(y)o' has same meaning function, but this two forms have come differences for hearer's reception degree or [+intimacy]. '-Yo' has higher reception level than '-o' which is usually used for formal language and better [+intimacy].
It means '-yi' of '(y)io, which is '-yo''s former self, is not just a predicate auxilary verb. This '-yi' also has the meaning function of '-yi', the respect form. For that reason the origin of '-yo' is 'yi+yi+o+yi'.
At Middle Age Korean, the respect morphem '-yida' is changed as '-yu' at the central dialect area, This '-yu' is also changed from the Middle Age Korean respect morphem '-yi' like '-yo'. If we suppose the progress of change from '-i(y)o' to '-yo', they have a middle morphem before the respect morphem '-yu'. That is an allomorph '-u' of '-o', which is widely used in this area. So we can think the origin of '-yu' is '-yiu'. For the convenience of the pronunciation, it made a sound reduction for '-yu'. As the result, '-yo', '-yu' and '-o' are mixed as the central dialect area.
'-Yu', '-ye', '-yida' have used as southeast dialect area. '-Yu' is a reduction form of '-yiu'. '-Ye' is made from '-yu' and [+intimacy] morphem '-yi'. In other words, it is formed by 'yi+yu+yi'. This is (중간원문누락)
It has used as '-(yi)rau', '-yo' and '-yida' at the southeast dialect area. '-(Yi)rau is changed from '-yidau'. It made a sound loss 'ŋ' and the meaning function of '-yi' became a predicate auxilary verb '-yi' and combined as '-yidau'. Then it has liquidized for the convenience of pronunciation and changed as '-(yi)rau'. And they still use Middle Age Korean form '-yida' at the contact area of Gyeongnam dialect area.
We can donfirm '-yo' and '-ye' are distributed freely for all form when it ends with an impolite speech among the usage for real sentence of '-yo'. '-Yu' has an union restriction after '-eudgo' and '-eungo'. '-Rau' has also an union restriction after almost all form except '-a/-u', '-ji/-je', '-eulga', '-su' and '-ge'.
'-Ye' is only distributed as the ending of sentence for a perfect sentence. It means the standard language '-yo' and the southwest dialect '-ye' has come difference. The standard language doesn't need '-yo' for the word of the other respect system form and the southwest dialect use -ye' for pragmatic element. Also it can distributed freely at a word and a phrase for an imperfect sentence.
This thesis analyzes the distribution principle in the sentence of '-yo' which based on the grammatical function, not the morphology aspect. As the result, '-yo' in the sentence distributes freely as the fixed position of the syntactic function, that is, the position which doesn't need to be charge of any syntactic function. If possible, it also distributes the position which has an extensive separation. Therefore '-yo' in the sentence distributes as an utterance unit, i.e. the position which has a guarantee for the separation and make a definite decision for the syntactic function.
If we search for the function of '-yo', we can find there hac various functions. First, -yo' in the ending of a sentence had [+respect for hearer] function. Second, '-yo' in the middle of a sentence which is located at various positions has the pragmatic function for [+intimacy] and [+attention awakening]. Third, '-yo' after a person's name has the vocative case function.
Originally '-yo' was a pragmatic mark. But nowadays it is the progress of changing to the modal function element after the impolite sentence. After all, '-yo' takes the place of '-seubmida' or '-ge' which had function for respect of other people. Language is changed all the time. Therefore we cannot conclude the function of a special word. But we can suppose the direction of change. Accordingly the function of pragmatic mark '-yo' in the end of sentence is changing for the modal function little by little.
Both '-yo' in the ending of a sentence which uses for [+respect for hearer] and '-yo' in the middle of a sentence, which has various functions, have a same pragmatic talent. It expresses not the meaning in the sentence but the reduction between hearer and speaker out of a sentence. That is to say, it means the speaker express his respect for hearer or the speaker express the meaning function, his [+intimacy] for hearer.