The Degree of Transitivity in Korean: A Functional-Typological Approach

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze transitivity in the light of typological universals. Transitivity features can be manifested both morpho—syntactically and semantically. Thus we will examine examples of correlations between morphosyntactic features (e.g. case marking alternations) and semantic interpretations. We will show that covariation between transitivity and the case marking of objects observed in Korean is by and large consistent with Hopper & Thompson's (1980) Transitivity Hypothesis.