부사 지레의 의미에 대한 통시적 고찰

Abstract

This paper is written to study the more precise meaning of adverb Jire. In most contemporary dictionaries, Jire is described as the synonym of temporal adverb Miri. But Jire has some distinctive meanings that cannot be replaced by Miri. So, to determine the unique meaning of Jire, I consider semantical changes of adverb Jire which is formed from verb Jeureu-, diachronically. In summary, Jire has experienced three-step semantical changes from the middle Korean times to the comtemporary Korean times. At first, the meanings of Jire changed from the spatial to the temporal in the middle Korean times. The next thing, Jire came to imply the negative meaning in the latter part of modern Korean times. Lastly, Jire has come to be used when the narrator or the agent supposes the situation that is a very little possibility of occurrence and that will lead to a negative result.