은 /는 (Eun/Neun) vs 이 /가 (I/Ka)

SCOBA for Korean subject markers

Caveats

• This SCOBA is really partial as well as really incomplete.

• There are much more complicated issues involved in 은 / 는 versus 이 / 가 alterations.

은 / 는 vs 이 / 가

• 은 versus 는 (and 이 versus 가 ) alterations are based on the phonological environment.

• However, the choice between 은 / 는 and 이 / 가 is motivated by semantic and conceptual rationale.

Rules of Thumb

• Sentences containing 은 / 는 , the important message (the thing you want to say) comes after 은 / 는 .

• Sentences containing 이 / 가 , the important message (the thing you want to say) comes before 이 / 가 .

Some examples

A: 저 사람은 누구입니까 ? (Who is the man?)

B: 저 사람은 성우입니다 . (The man is Sungwoo.)

Cf.

저 사람이 누구더라 ? ((To oneself) Who is the man?)

(You think you have information about the man.)

A: 저 사람은 누구입니까 ? (Who is the man?)

B: 저 사람이 George Lakoff 입니다 . (The man is George Lakoff.)

(You think the hearer (or the general public including the hearer) has background information about George Lakoff.)

Issues / Conceptualization

• Difficulty in applying the notion of “important message”

• Need to conceptualize this grammatical alternations using the notion of shared knowledge

A 은 /는 B 이다 .(저 사람은 성우입니다 .)

B (Sungwoo)B

(Sungwoo)

DELIVERY METAPHOR

Aha!Aha!

A 이 /가 B 이다 .(저 사람이 성우입니다 .)

B (Sungwoo)B

(Sungwoo)

ACTIVATIONMETAPHOR

Conclusion

It is further needed to:

• Incorporate some other conceptualizations of 은 / 는 and 이 / 가 alternations

• Explore how to match human conceptualization with animation-based SCOBA

Conclusion

It is further needed to:

• Incorporate some other conceptualizations of 은 / 는 and 이 / 가 alternations

• Explore how to match human conceptualization with animation-based SCOBA