현대몽골어의 양태첨사에 관한 연구

Abstract

A Study on the modal particles in modern MongolianKang Shin (Dankook Univ.)The aim of this study is to analyze semantic properties and structural characteristics of the modal particles in modern Mongolian with special reference to the context of the utterances or discourse in which the particular mood of the speaker could be expressed. Only the whole context should it be clear what mood the speaker is in. We have argued in this study that modal particles in modern Mongolian should moderate or else modify statements according to the present mood of the speaker in the given context. Particles, as is well known, are intrinsically optional constituents, not obligatory ones in a sentence. So it is no wonder in most of the previous studies they were claimed to be freely distributed in a sentence. However, it is claimed in this study their arguments jumped to wrong conclusions and the modal particles in modern Mongolian should observe the linear order among them to make a well-formed utterance. Sequences of the modal particles are composed of strictly ordered cluster, not disordered or random one as previous studies postulated. Most of the modal particles in modern Mongolian are suggested, in this study, to be the natural products of grammaticalization process. Sequences of the modal particles are suggested to have their head and tail respectively as essential constituents in which transitive relation holds. In particular, 'jum' and 'daa4' are analysed to be the head and the tail of the sequences of the modal particles in their fixed linear order.