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A Comparative Study on Korean Verbal Unitizers and Chinese Momentum Words -On Nomenclature and Semantic Characteristics-

  • Cross-Cultural Studies
  • 2024, 73(), pp.77-101
  • DOI : 10.21049/ccs.2024.73..77
  • Publisher : Center for Cross Culture Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Literature
  • Received : September 10, 2024
  • Accepted : October 11, 2024
  • Published : October 31, 2024

XU JIASI 1,  Kim Jung Nam 1

1경희대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Korean is classified as a numerical classifier language. Previous studies have shown that terms such as 'myeong', 'gae', 'beon', and 'hoe', which denote the number of actions and events, fall under the classifier category. However, these terms primarily function not just for classification but as units of quantity in quantification constructs, making the term 'unitizer' more appropriate. Such unitizers, representing the number of actions and events, can be termed verbal unitizers, a more fitting designation. Conversely, in Chinese, momentum words function as independent parts of speech and are recognized within the academic community as a subset of quantifiers. Both Korean verbal unitizers and Chinese momentum words indicate the number, frequency, and duration of actions and events. However, Korean verbal unitizers are limited to denoting the number and duration, whereas Chinese momentum words also convey the scope, amplitude, duration, intensity, and other aspects of actions. There are specific verbal unitizers in Korean, such as 'gaji' and 'mul', that designate particular events, a feature not mirrored by specialized momentum words in Chinese. There is limited research on the classification of verbal unitizers within the Korean linguistic community, with binary classification being the predominant method. In contrast, the classification of momentum words in the Chinese academic community is more vibrant, with a variety of classification approaches, and the concept of borrowing is extensively accepted. As for the Korean language, adapting the borrowing concept is challenging, and verbal unitizers solely denote the number of actions and events. The aspects such as the event's occurrence, timing, scope, method, and scale are better represented by nouns or units of measure that denote time, which should not be confused with verbal unitizers.

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