Two Types of Inchoatives in Korean

Abstract

The paper analyzes two different types of inchoatives in Korean, the I-inchoative and the zero inchoative, by examining their interaction with adjunct phrases as well as their morphological differences. I argue that the two types of inchoatives are similar in that they have the same event head VINCHO. This syntactic similarity explains the compatibility of a cause phrase and the locution 'by itself' with the two inchoatives. The two inchoatives also present syntactic differences. I-inchoatives have a defective Voice head (as do passives) while zero inchoatives do not have one. This difference explains the grammaticality of instrument phrases in I-inchoatives but not in zero inchoatives. The presence of the Voice head in I-inchoatives but the absence of one in zero inchoatives also accounts for the morphological difference between the two inchoatives.