Auxiliary and complex predicate constructions

Abstract

The typical complex predicate construction is composed of more than one grammatical element, each of which contributes nontrivial syntactic and semantic information to it. Like other SOV languages, Korean employs a variety of complex predicate constructions which we can frequently find in daily language use. Complex predicate constructions in Korean can be classified into verbal and nominal ones. The former group consists of only verbal expressions, and auxiliary and serial verb constructions belong to this group. The latter has a predicative nominal and a verb. Light verb constructions and bound noun constructions belong to this group. This chapter discusses the grammatical properties of the auxiliary constructions in Korean as complex predicates. Types of auxiliary verbs and morphosyntactic properties Auxiliary verbs in Korean are traditionally subclassified according to their semantic contributions (see Suh 1996, Chang 1996, Sohn 1999, Kim 2004, among others). Consider one typical classification with examples: (1) a. Continuation phwul-e ka-ta solve-CONN gradually-DECL b. Service nol-a cwu-ta / ilk-e cwu-ta play-CONN for-DECL / read-CONN for-DECL c. Attempt mek-e po-ta / ilk-e po-ta eat-CONN try-DECL / read-CONN try-DECL d. Conjecture mek-na po-ta / o-na siph-ta eat-CONN maybe-DECL / come-CONN maybe-DECL e. Repetition wus-e tay-ta / mek-e tay-ta smile-CONN on-DECL eat-CONN on-DECL f. Hold mak-a twu-ta / kam-a noh-ta block-CONN keep-DECL / wrap-CONN keep-DECL g. Expectation mek-ko siph-ta eat-CONN wish-DECL h. Existence kelly-e iss-ta hang-CONN exist-DECL i. Obligation mek-eya ha-n-ta eat-CONN must-PRES-DECL j. Habit mek-kon ha-ta eat-CONN used.to-DECL Most of the auxiliary verbs carry aspectual, modal, or volitional interpretations, but they are also used as main verbs with different senses. Consider the following examples: (2) a. Mimi-ka hakkyo-ey ka-ss-ta Mimi-NOM school-LOC go-PST-DECL ‘Mimi went to school.’ b. elum-i chachum nok-a ka-ss-ta ice-NOM gradually melt-CONN gradually-PST-DECL ‘The ice gradually melted away.’ The main verb ka- in (2a) just describes the (motion/transition) event of Mimi's going to school, while its auxiliary use in (2b) denotes the ice's continuous melting process. Note that the auxiliary verb does not have a typical argument structure.