The Pseudo-resultative [V-ko (iss-)] Construction in Korean

Abstract

Korean [… V-ko iss-] expressions are ambiguous between a progressive meaning (P-reading) and a resultative meaning (R-reading). Most previous analyses assume that there is only one construction involved. Only a few previous analyses assume that there are two: the progressive construction, which we will call the P(-reading) construction, and the resultative construction. Under this latter assumption, we argue that the resultative construction has to be further divided into two types. That is, we will show that the seeming resultative [… V-ko iss-] expressions are realizations of two different constructions: the (real) R(-reading) construction and the p(seudo)-R(-reading) construction. Although, unlike the P construction, both of them are modifier-modified constructions, they have different properties. The major source of differences is that of the verbs in the [… V] position: while the verbs in the R construction can indicate a present state with their past tense form, those in the p-R construction have a present state meaning inherently. The p-R construction comprises all those cases in which negative verbal expressions appear in the [… V] position. In addition, this construction is not subject to the constraints operating on the R construction. We will see that the present approach provides a systematic analysis and covers a wider range of data than previous approaches.