-가

See also: 가

Jeju

Etymology

See Korean 가 (-ga).

Particle

가 (-ga)

1. Synonym of 이 (-i, nominative case marker) used after words ending with a vowel.

Korean

Etymology 1

Uncertain. It was not attested in texts from the 15^th century, and its first attestation has been variously placed at 1572 CE or mid-17^th century.

Click for etymological details

It was initially of limited distribution and used in a complementary manner to 이 (-i). The development of its usage is as follows:

1. Since the mid-17th century: used after nouns ending in -i or -y,

   e.g. pwuli-ka ("mouth"), nay-ka ("scent"), poy-ka ("boat");

2. Since the mid-18th century: used after nouns ending in vowels/semivowels other than -i,

   e.g. ca-ka ("one who"), soyngswo-ka, nwongso-ka ("farm work");

3. During the end of the 18th century: used briefly in the form of double particle -i/yka after nouns ending in vowels/semivowels other than -i,

   e.g. to-yka ("road"), inkwu-yka ("population"), nwongso-yka ("farm work").

Various theories exist regarding its origin:

1. Developed from the interrogative particle 가 (-ga);
2. Developed from the vocative case particle 하 (-ha)/아 (-a);
3. Developed from the connective ending 다가 (-daga);
4. Developed from the verb 가 (ga-, “to go”);
5. Borrowed from the Japanese nominative particle が (ga).

Particle

가 • (-ga)

1. Synonym of 이 (-i, nominative case marker) used after words ending with a vowel.

   내가 말했잖아. ― Nae-ga malhaetjana. ― I said it.

   어디가 좋을까? ― Eodi-ga jo'eulkka? ― Which place is best?

   의자가 있다. ― Uija-ga itda. ― There is a chair.

   Audio:

   (file)

Etymology 2

From Middle Korean 가〮 (Yale: -ká), from Old Korean 去 (*-ka). In Old and Middle Korean, the word was not a suffix but an interrogative particle for yes-no questions, combining directly with nouns and taking the Old Korean nominalized forms of verbs, whence ㄴ가 (-n'ga) and ㄹ까 (-lkka).

In the standard Seoul dialect of the language, the suffix is no longer used in isolation (nor reserved for yes-no questions); see "Related terms" below.

Suffix

가 • (-ga)

1. (Gyeongsang) In the plain style, an interrogative suffix marking yes-no questions. It is only used for the copula 이다 (-ida, “to be”) and 아이다 (aida, “to not be”).

   아이가? ― Ai-ga? ― Isn't it?

   이기 니 이름이가? ― Igi ni ireum-i-ga? ― Is this your name?

   느그들이 성제가? ― Neugeu-deur-i seongje-ga? ― Are you brothers?

Usage notes

• Its wh-word question equivalent is 고 (-go).
• For non-copula stems, 나 (-na) is used.

Related terms

• 나 (-na)
• 는가 (-neun'ga)
• 던가 (-deon'ga)
• 습니까 (-seumnikka)
• 을까 (-eulkka)

 

Particle

가 • (-ga)

1. (Gyeongsang) See above; sometimes appended directly to the noun, as in older forms of the language.

   이기 니 이름가? ― Igi ni ireum-ga? ― Is this your name?

Etymology 3

From Old Korean 果 (*-kwa). Unlike Middle Korean and most other dialects, Yukjin was apparently unaffected by the lenition to 와 (-wa) in intervocalic environments. Until the early twentieth century, the pronunciation was still 과 (-gwa), but it has since shifted.

Pronunciation

• (Yukjin) IPA^(key): [ɡá]

Particle

가 • (-ga)

1. Yukjin and Russia form of 과 (-gwa, “with, and”)
2. Yukjin and Russia form of 와 (-wa, “with, and”)

   한 동네에 여자가 남자 살았지. (Koryo-mar, Shymkent)

   Han dongne-e yeojaga namja saratji.

   In a neighbourhood lived a lady with a man.

   • Excerpt of the folk tale, 'The Foolish Husband who Caught a Bear with his Wife's Wisdom'.

   • 2019, 곽충구 [gwakchunggu, Kwak Chung-gu], 두만강 유역의 조선어 방언 사전 [duman'gang yuyeogui joseoneo bang'eon sajeon, Dictionary of Korean Dialects of the Tumen River Area], volume II, Taehaksa, →ISBN, page 3717:

     내가 너느 야댜하는 쳐지다. (Yukjin)

     Nae-ga neo-neu yadyahaneun cheoji-da.

     You and I are in a relationship where we don't use honorifics.

   • 2019, 곽충구 [gwakchunggu, Kwak Chung-gu], 두만강 유역의 조선어 방언 사전 [duman'gang yuyeogui joseoneo bang'eon sajeon, Dictionary of Korean Dialects of the Tumen River Area], volume II, Taehaksa, →ISBN, page 3717:

     슬기가 여끼 따다. (Yukjin)

     Seulgi-ga yeokki ttada.

     A leopard cat and a fox are different.

3. (for a verb of speech) to
   • 2019, 곽충구 [gwakchunggu, Kwak Chung-gu], 두만강 유역의 조선어 방언 사전 [duman'gang yuyeogui joseoneo bang'eon sajeon, Dictionary of Korean Dialects of the Tumen River Area], volume II, Taehaksa, →ISBN, page 3717:

     동미가 말했지. (Yukjin)

     Dongmi-ga malhaetji.

     I spoke to my friend.

   • 2019, 곽충구 [gwakchunggu, Kwak Chung-gu], 두만강 유역의 조선어 방언 사전 [duman'gang yuyeogui joseoneo bang'eon sajeon, Dictionary of Korean Dialects of the Tumen River Area], volume II, Taehaksa, →ISBN, page 3717:

     네가 무스거 물어보더야? (Yukjin)

     Ne-ga museugeo mureo-bodeoya?

     What were they asking [to] you?

Usage notes

• As mentioned above, the particle does not change depending on whether the noun ends in a vowel or not.
• There is no potential for confusion with the subject-marking particle 가 (-ga) because it is not used in Yukjin.
• Some speakers attach 가 (-ga) to both nouns being connected, as in Old or Middle Korean.