Adjective Classes - A Cross-Linguistic Typology

(22) Verb: mek-e
eat-iNF
wul-ko
cry- and
talh-a
wear-iNF
o-na
come-to
Adjective: silh-e
dislike-iNF
nappu-ko
bad-and
key.ull-e
lazy-iNF
coh-una
good-to

9

pelita

finish

malta

stop

ppacita

complete

pota

appear

pelita

finish

malta

stop

ppacita

complete

pota

appear

The Adjective Class in Korean 235

eat up'

'end up crying'

'completely worn out'

'appear to come'

'completely dislike'

'end up being nasty'

'extremely lazy'

'appear to be happy'

Sixth, argument structures in terms of thematic roles are different between verbs
and adjectives to a great extent. Unlike verbs, adjectives cannot have Agent, Patient,
Goal, Source, Direction, and Instrument. They can have Experiencer and Theme
as subject.

(23) (a) Mia-nun na-lul po-ass-ta <AGT, PAT + VERB>
Mia-TP isg-ACC see-pps-DC
'Mia saw me'
Mia-nun nay-ka philyohay-ss-ta
Mia-TP isg-NOM need-pps-DC
'Mia needed me'
(b) nalssi-ka kay-n-ta
weather-NOM clear-iN-DC
'the weather is clearing'
nalssi-ka coh-ta
weather-NOM good-DC
'the weather is good'

Seventh, as observed in (233), the patient object of a transitive verb takes the accu-
sative particle (/)«/, whereas the object (or theme) of an adjective takes the nom-
inative particle kali. This latter phenomenon is extensively observed in sensory
(or psychological) adjectives such as pulepta 'envious, envy', musepta 'scared, fear',
mipta 'hateful, hate', cohta good, like', and silhta 'disagreeable, dislike' as in (24), and
existential adjectives such as issta 'exist/have', epsta 'not exist/have', manhta 'many,
much', and cekta 'few, little' as in (25).

<EXP, TH + ADJECTIVE>

<TH + VERB>

<TH + ADJECTIVE>