-냐
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Korean
Alternative forms
- 느냐 (-neunya), 으냐 (-eunya) – literary and dated
Etymology
First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 으〮녀〮/ᄋᆞ〮녀〮 (Yale: -únyé/ónyé), equivalent (despite vowel mismatches) to a contraction of 으〮니아〮/ᄋᆞ〮니아〮 (Yale: -únìGá/ónìGá), ultimately from Old Korean 隱 (*-un, realis gerund suffix) + 是 (*-i, “to be”, copula stem) + 去 (*-ke, polar question interrogative suffix): etymologically "is it that...".
Recently, the epenthetical 으/느 (eu/neu) have been deleted, producing the modern form.
Pronunciation
- (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [ɲa̠]
- Phonetic hangul: [냐]
| Romanizations | |
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization? | nya |
| Revised Romanization (translit.)? | nya |
| McCune–Reischauer? | nya |
| Yale Romanization? | nya |
Suffix
냐 • (-nya)
- (colloquial) a plain-style interrogative suffix
- 뒈지고 싶어서 환장했냐? (vulgar) ― dwejigo sipeoseo hwanjang-haetnya? ― Do you want to fucking die?
- 너 찾았는데 어디 갔었냐? ― neo chajanneunde eodi gasseotnya? ― I was looking for you; where did you go?
Usage notes
- Historically, only 느냐 (-neunya) and 으냐 (-eunya) were accepted in the standard language. Both are rare nowadays and have been almost wholly supplanted by 냐 (-nya).
- 니 (-ni) has the same meaning but has a friendlier nuance and is more often used by women.
Suffix
냐 • (-nya)
- Post-vowel or post-liquid allomorphic form of 으냐 (-eunya, (dated) plain-style interrogative suffix).