3. Particle(postposition, 조사) ① an Overview

1. Particle? Postposition?

 

Although 조사 is often translated into a particle, I prefer the term postposition. I think the word particle focuses on its meanings while postposition on its functions. Particle means an adverb or preposition that forms a verb phrase together with a verb. However, 조사s are mainly attached after 체언(nouns, pronouns, and numerals), and they are not adverbs. In contrast, postpositions designate their location, showing that they come 'after' something.

 

 

 

2. the Meaning of 조사

 

조사 is 助詞 in Chinese. 조(助) means helping something and 사(詞) means a word. Therefore, 조사 is a word that helps the other word. Here, 'help' means several things: to decide the role(case) of a 체언 in a sentence, to add some meanings to the word before it, or to link two words.

 

 

3. Three Types of 조사

조사 has three subclasses, which are 격조사(case-marker particle), 보조사(supplementary particle), and 접속조사(connective particle). Each of them corresponds with the roles I mentioned above. 

 

It is very important to understand 조사, so I'll deal with each type in the following, separate articles.