Grammatical coding of information structure in Korean: A role and reference grammar (RRG) account

Information structure is a grammatical component which concerns with the relationship between a speaker's assumptions and the formal structure of sentence grammar. The study is based on the observation that the structure of a sentence reflects in systematic and theoretically interesting ways a speaker's assumptions about the hearer's state of knowledge and consciousness at the time of an utterance. The fundamental claim I made in this dissertation is that, in Korean, not only is the topic maker nun, but also the NOM ka/i, and ACC lul/ ul are used for the purpose of encoding different types of focus structures (predicate, sentence, and narrow focus structure). Besides these morphological markers, there are other ways of encoding information structure: for instance, specific focus constructions (clefting, or quantifier float), word order coding (immediately preverbal position for the unmarked narrow-focused element), phonological coding (a focal accent) and so forth.;The presentation of the research takes on the following organization. Chapter 1 introduces a list of information coding systems; case-shifting (or case alternations) from semantic case to pragmatic case markers (NUN, KA, or LUL), word order change, HA 'do' constructions, and quantifier float (QF). Chapter 2 summarizes the basic features of Role & Reference Grammar (RRG). Chapter 3 deals exclusively with "Two Case Layers" hypothesis. I argue that in order to explain fully the Korean case marking system two independent case layers (semantic and pragmatic case in this order) are needed. In chapter 4, I investigate the Korean GEN construction in relation to types of focus structure. I claim that a GEN-marked NP is eligible for being a 'minimal information unit' (phrase) if it is case-shifted to NOM/ACC-marked NP. In chapter 5, I apply the 'Two Case Layers' hypothesis to other kinds of case-shifting or case-stacking sentences. In chapter 6, I deal with HA 'do' constructions in connection to focus structure. Finally, in chapter 7, I give a focus structure-based account of Korean quantifer-float (QF) constructions. QF constructions are used when the numeral information (quantifier) is focused (in the scope of the actual focus domain).