The following study aims to classify the grammar structure regarding time expressions into tense and aspect categories to provide a systematic and in-depth explanation about the modern Korean language. The core of grammar analysis concerning the class...
The following study aims to classify the grammar structure regarding time expressions into tense and aspect categories to provide a systematic and in-depth explanation about the modern Korean language. The core of grammar analysis concerning the classification of tense and aspect in Korean language lies in the form ‘-oet-’, which is used in both tense and aspect point of views. The grammar form ‘-oet-’ was first separated into tense and aspect categories by Sikyung Joo (1910) and later systematically defined by Hyunbae Choi (1929, 1999). In the existing studies however, the grammar explanations for ‘-oet-’ are provided in a rather complex and limited manner since they suggest multiple interpretations about grammar with regards to aspect and tense categories. The previous studies also do not separate syntactic and pragmatic functions and therefore it can be argued that they have only added more confusion and have given arise to circular arguments.
The reason for such limitation in the existing studies is partly in the lack of logical explanation regarding the concepts of tense and aspect but more importantly, it is due to the fact the existing studies rely solely on morphs in grammar.
In this study, the author critically analyzes the concepts and functions of tense and aspect based on the research by Seokdeuk Kim (1974) and provides his own interpretation. The author refers to Kant’s epistemology and defines natural time as the logical tense (Verstand), which represents the discrimination in time, and artificial time as the intuitive tense (Sinnlichkeit), which represents the continuity of time. Furthermore, the author analytically explains the concepts of time (aspect) and space (tense) within the time continuity of natural language.
The author employs the zero morph concepts (Youngook Kim, 1989) and the one-to-one correspondence principle (YoungookKim, 1993, 1995) in order to overcome the limitation of the morph-centered analyses and provides a detailed explanation regarding the time expression grammar in Korean language with regards to tense and aspect. The study summarizes the grammatical functions into three formats: the syntactic function, the semantic function, and the pragmatic function. The study also terms the pragmatic function, which is derived from the semantic functions, as the semantic meaning. The author also states that the grammatical statements in the syntactic and semantic areas should be based on objective data and claims that intuitive interpretation based on inter-subjectivity is an inappropriate grammar analysis method in the pragmatic point of view.
The study also confirms that grammar structure regarding tense and aspect of both Korean and other languages can be explained within the one-to-one correspondence principal. It states that universal grammar (Chomsky, 1965) is a structure of grammatical morphemes based on the one-to-one correspondence principal and the cognitive system in the underlying form. The cognitive system is an objective syntactic system that distinguishes correct sentences from wrong forms and this system can be clearly explained in both interpretational and generative aspects in accordance with the one-to-one correspondence principal. Also it is confirmed that the universal grammar is based on the rationalism as mentioned in the transformational generative grammar. The aforementioned facts are based on the idea that the grammar forms for a tense and aspect in all languages referred to in the study are consistently analyzed by the one-to-one correspondence principle and native speakers use the languages apart from the standardized grammar.
The relationship between morph and morpheme is similar to the one between the language universality and specificity. In the study, the terms in meta-language for morph and morpheme are used as surface form and underlying form respectively. The author discovers that the deep structure and surface structure in the transformational generative grammar exists in a single system rather than separated dualistic systems. Moreover, the author establishes that understanding of a mother tongue is the prerequisite to understanding the language universality. The author also further verifies that language universality is a natural language’s universal characteristic which is actualized on the surface structure depending on the specific language’s features.
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