On the Rise of Similative-marking Function: A Case of the Korean Nominalizer Mankhum ‘amount’

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

On the Rise of Similative-marking Function: A Case of the Korean Nominalizer Mankhum ‘amount’*

Junghye Baik**

Abstract: This paper examines the linguistic phenomena known as mankhum ‘amount’, highlighting its remarkable semantic and functional versatility as a clausal connective and a postpositional particle expressing the speaker’s stance. The development of this morpheme into a grammatical marker involves specific syntactic combinations, for its roles a subordinator and a postposition, respectively. The study illustrates the functional extension patterns exhibited by mankhum, emphasizing its evolution from a nominal into a clausal connector and a postpositional particle. Cognitive mechanisms, particularly subjectification, are explored as motivators influencing semantic extensions, ranging from propositional to expressive notions (Traugott, 2010; Traugott & König, 1991). Generalization is also addressed as a means for extending the semantic and syntactic distribution of this morpheme. Furthermore, the categorial change of mankhum is with the hyphothesis in the morpheme, contributing to the reorganization of grammar. Utilizing the grammaticalization framework, this paper analyzes the polysemous and polyfunctional usages of mankhum, drawing upon synchronic and diachronic data in Korean.


Key Words: Grammaticalization, Lexical Content, Subordinator, Postposition, Polyfunction, Polysemy, Synchronic and Diachronic Data

































□ Received: Dec. 5, 2023, Revised: Dec. 29, 2023, Accepted: Dec. 29, 2023 ＊ The earlier version of this paper was presented at the 15th Workshop on Altaic Formal Linguistics (WAFL15), Lomonosov Moscow State University in Moscow, Russia on September 26-28, 2019. Special thanks go to the audience and the anonymous reviewers of the Journal for their helpful comments and suggestions. All remaining errors, however, are mine.
** Associate Professor, Sahmyook Univ., Email: [e-mail].