The semantics of '-ki' in Korean: Priority and beyond priority

Abstract

This paper develops a unified semantic account of -ki in Korean, traditionally analyzed as a nominalizer. A purely syntactic view leaves unexplained why -ki is systematically restricted to priority-related environments. Building on comparison-based theories of mood, I propose that -ki is a mood marker that evaluates propositions relative to BESTworlds selected by modal backgrounds anchored to an event argument. This analysis captures the priority-related distribution of -ki: its distribution under desire verbs in embedded clauses, and its directive interpretation in root contexts under suitable discourse conditions. Furthermore, I argue that the same comparison-based meaning extends beyond prototypical priority environments. -ki is, for example, licensed in causal ‘because’ clauses and in complements of aspectual verbs. I derive these patterns by identifying comparison structures inherent to causation and aspectuality. Overall, the proposal explains the distribution of -ki across embedded clauses, root clauses, and adverbials and supports a recent view that Korean has mood distinctions that are not speech act/sentence-type distinctions.