-고
Korean
editEtymology 1
editFrom Middle Korean -고〮 (Yale: -kwó), probably from Old Korean 遣, although the phonology is potentially problematic.[1] While Old Korean 遣 corresponds exactly to Middle Korean -고〮 (Yale: -kwó) in terms of grammar, the Middle Chinese pronunciation is 遣 (MC khjienX|khjienH), which does not sound like -고〮 (Yale: -kwó).
In any case, Old Korean 古 (*-kwo) is also, albeit rarely, attested as a connective suffix;[1] either 遣 and 古 are different orthographies of the same suffix (more likely), or the latter subsumed the role of the former. In Middle Korean Idu script, 遣 always denotes -고〮 (Yale: -kwó).
Suffix
edit-고 • (-go)
- and then, after...; marks successive action.
- and; connects two clauses together.
- Used for the main verb to join it to certain auxiliaries.
- 하고 있다 ― hago itda ― to be doing
- 누가 자전거를 타고 있습니까? ― Nuga jajeon'georeul tago itseumnikka? ― Who is riding a bicycle?
- 하고 나-니 ― hago na-ni ― now that it's been done
- 하고 들다 ― hago deulda ― to do fiercely
- 하고 보-니 ― hago bo-ni ― now that I've done it, [I feel...]
- 하고 말-았--다. ― Hago mar-at-da. ― I ended up doing it.
- In the intimate style, used to ask confirmatory questions; by extension, can have nuances of denial or sarcasm.
- In the intimate style, used in polite requests.
- In the intimate style, used to present additional information, typically with the nominal particle -도 (-do, “also, too”).
Usage notes
edit- (and then): Compare -어 (-eo) and -어서 (-eoseo), which have an additional nuance that the first action is impacting or enabling the second.
Alternative forms
edit- -구 (-gu) — dialectal or endearing slang
Derived terms
editEtymology 2
editContracted from 하고 (hago, “that”, used to quote speech, literally “[one] said, and...”), hence formally identical to the connective suffix above. First attested widely in the Ildong Jang'yu-ga (日東壯遊歌 / 일동장유가), 1763, and other mid-eighteenth-century works.[2][3]
Particle
edit-고 • (-go)
- that; quotative particle marking indirect quotes. Attaches to mood-marking verb-final suffixes of the "plain style".
- In the intimate style, a particle attached to verbs to request confirmation of what the speaker has just heard; by extension, can express surprise about what they have just heard.
- In the intimate style, a particle attached to verbs to emphasize that the speaker is repeating something they have just said; by extension, can be used to express emphasis or annoyance even if one is not actually repeating something.
- Synonym: -으니까 (-eunikka)
- 내-가 메달-을 땄-다-고. ― Nae-ga medar-eul ttat-da-go. ― I said, it was me who won the medal.
- 너-도 좋-았--냐-고. ― Neo-do jo-an-nya-go. ― I asked, did you like it too?
- 얼른 가-자-고. ― Eolleun ga-ja-go. ― I said, let's leave as soon as possible.
- 빨리 나가-라-고-요. ― Ppalli naga-ra-go-yo. ― I said, leave quickly.
- Used with the declarative in certain constructions as -다고 (-dago); see there for more.
Usage notes
edit- -고 (-go) neutralizes speech level and formality distinctions, and other nuances of the mood-marking suffixes, to the basic suffixes of the "plain style": -다 (-da), -라 (-ra), -냐 (-nya), -으라 (-eura), and -자 (-ja).
- Hence declarative sentences are quoted as -다고 (-dago) or -라고 (-rago), interrogative sentences as -냐고 (-nyago), imperative sentences as -으라고 (-eurago), and hortative sentences as -자고 (-jago), regardless of speech level.
- With the imperative:
- -고 (-go) can be freely omitted.
- -이라고 (-irago) is used for direct quotes.
Alternative forms
edit- -구 (-gu) — dialectal or endearing slang
Derived terms
editEtymology 3
editShortened from Middle Korean -고〮져〮 (Yale: -kwócyé, verbal suffix expressing intent),[4] perhaps under the influence of the auxiliary-joining suffix. This resulted in a change of the primary meaning of 싶다 (sipda), from "to seem to be about to do" to "to want".
Suffix
edit-고 • (-go)
- Used to join the verb expressing the desired action to 싶다 (sipda, “to want”).
Etymology 4
editFrom Middle Korean -고 (Yale: -kwó), from Old Korean 古 (*-kwo). In Old and Middle Korean, the word was not a suffix but an interrogative particle for polar questions, combining directly with nouns and taking the adnominal forms of verbs, whence -ㄴ고 (-n'go) and -ㄹ꼬 (-lkko).
In the standard Seoul dialect of the language, the suffix is no longer used in isolation and generally dated or archaic; see "Related terms" below.
Suffix
edit-고 • (-go)
- (Gyeongsang) In the plain style, an interrogative suffix marking wh-word questions. It is only used for the copula -이다 (-ida, “to be”) and 아이다 (aida, “to not be”).
Usage notes
edit- Its polar question equivalent is -가 (-ga).
- For non-copula stems, -노 (-no) is used.
Related terms
editParticle
edit-고 • (-go)
- (Gyeongsang) See above; sometimes appended directly to the noun, as in older forms of the language.
- 이 뭣-고? (a Buddhist koan) ― I mwot-go? ― What is this?
References
edit- ↑ 1.0 1.1 김지오 (Kim Ji-o) (2019) “고대국어 연결어미 연구의 현황과 과제 [godaegugeo yeon'gyeoreomi yeon'guui hyeonhwanggwa gwaje, The conditions and future tasks of analyzing connective endings in Old Korean]”, in Gugyeol Yeon'gu, volume 43, pages 55–87
- ^ 안주호 [anjuho] (2003) “인용문과 인용표지의 문법화에 대한 연구 [inyongmun'gwa inyongpyojiui munbeophwa'e daehan yeon'gu, A study on quotative sentences and the grammaticalization of quotation markers in Korean]”, in Damhwa-wa inji, volume 10, pages 145—165
- ^ 송재목 [songjaemok] (2019) “일동장유가의 인용구문 [ildongjang'yugaui inyonggumun, Quotative constructions in the Ildong Jang'yu-ga]”, in Hangul, volume 80, pages 241—287
- ^ 이영경 [iyeonggyeong] (2005) “'싶다'구문의 史的 변천에 대한 일고찰”, in 한국문화, volume 35, 서울대학교 규장각한국학연구원 [seouldaehakgyo gyujanggakhan'gukhagyeon'guwon], pages 1-25