The semantics of the two causative suffixes -Ci and -Cii in Andong dialect

Abstract

Most Korean dialects have only one set of suffixes, -i, -hi, -li, -ki, as causative suffixes where the main vowel is i. On the other hand, Andong dialects of Korean have two sets of causative suffixes; while one set (-Ci) consists of -ˈi, -ˈhi, -ˈli, -ˈki, etc., the other set (-Cii) contains -íi, -híi, -líi, -kíi, etc. This article proposes that the choice between -Ci and -Cii in Andong dialect depends on the degree of causer’s agentivity. -Ci indicates causation characterized by the full agentivity of the causer. On the other hand, -Cii indicates that the degree of causer’s agentivity is relatively low.