Resultative Interpretation of Predicates in Korean
Résumé
This paper deals with the two Korean periphrastic constructions yielding a resultative interpretation of their preceding predicate, namely VR-a/e iss-VS (verbal root- a/e ‘exist’-verbal suffix) and VR-ko iss-VS (verbal root- ko ‘exist’-verbal suffix). The former is generally considered a resultative marker in Korean grammars, and the latter, commonly regarded as a progressive marker, may also denote a resultative meaning in some cases. Scholars have assumed that the resultative marker -a/e iss- is only combinable with intransitive telic verbs, whereas the resultative interpretation of the progressive marker -ko iss- is only possible for certain transitive verbs. Recently, Lee EunHee (2008) has claimed that the difference between the two periphrastic constructions lies on their argument structure: -a/e iss- can be combined with only unaccusative verbs and passive verbs while ko iss- selects ergative verbs and transitive verbs. Her analysis, as interesting as it is, raises however some problems.
The aim of this article is twofold: (i) to re-examine Lee EunHee (2008)’s assumption on the distribution of –a/e iss- and –ko iss- constructions explained by argument structures as well as the validity of Unaccusative Hypothesis in Korean; (ii) to elucidate syntactic and semantic factors allowing the resultative interpretation of Korean predicates when they are followed by –a/e iss- and –ko iss- constructions. It will be argued that on the one hand, the distinction between unergative and unaccusative verbs needn’t to be taken into account, insofar as it seems not relevant at least in Korean, and on the other hand, the resultative interpretation of Korean predicates derives from the combination between the argument structure of the verb iss- (‘exist’), the semantic structure of the preceding verb, and the way of connecting the two predicates by means of the connective markers –a/e and –ko.
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