-이-
Korean
Etymology 1
From Middle Korean 이〮 (-í-), an allomorph of 기〮 (Yale: -kí-, causative/passive-deriving suffix) formed by lenition of the initial consonant /k-/ in intervocalic environments. Beyond Middle Korean, the causative is the original meaning as attested in Old Korean, and the passive is a later development from the causative first attested in the written language some time between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries.[1][2]
Pronunciation
- (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [i]
- Phonetic hangul: [이]
Romanizations | |
---|---|
Revised Romanization? | i |
Revised Romanization (translit.)? | i |
McCune–Reischauer? | i |
Yale Romanization? | i |
- (after vowels): usually a change in vowel quality
- IPA(key): /a/ to /ɛ~e/
- IPA(key): /ʌ/ to /e/
- IPA(key): /o/ to /ø~we/
- IPA(key): /u/ to /y~wi/
Suffix
이 • (-i-)
- A verbal suffix deriving the stems of causative verbs, attaching to verb or adjective stems which end in a vowel, an aspirate consonant, ㄱ (g), or ㄹ (l). No longer productive.
- Synonyms: 히 (-hi-), 리 (-ri-), 기 (-gi-), 우 (-u-), 구 (-gu-), 추 (-chu-)
- 먹다 (meokda, “to eat”) + 이 (-i-) → 먹이다 (meogida, “to feed”)
- 높다 (nopda, “to be high”) + 이 (-i-) → 높이다 (nopida, “to heighten”)
- 나다 (nada, “to exit”) + 이 (-i-) → 내다 (naeda, “to take out”)
- A verbal suffix deriving the stems of passive verbs, mainly attaching to verb stems ending in a vowel or in an aspirate consonant. No longer productive.
- Synonyms: 히 (-hi-), 리 (-ri-), 기 (-gi-)
- 놓다 (nota, “to place”) + 이 (-i-) → 놓이다 (noida, “to be placed”)
- 보다 (boda, “to see”) + 이 (-i-) → 보이다 (boida, “to be seen”)
- 바꾸다 (bakkuda, “to change”) (transitive) + 이 (-i-) → 바뀌다 (bakkwida, “to change, to be changed”)
Usage notes
Although still very common in Korean, the causative/passive suffixes are no longer productive for forming new verbs. Verbs that do not already have a morphological causative or passive must employ auxiliaries:
- 게 하다 (-ge hada) for causatives
- 어지다 (-eojida) for passives
The causative/passive suffixes 이 (-i-), 히 (-hi-), 리 (-ri-), and 기 (-gi-) all stem from the same etymon, and are fairly complementary in distribution. 이 attaches to verb stems which end in a vowel or an aspirate consonant, and (in the case of causative verbs only) to stems ending in ㄱ (g) and some of those ending in ㄹ (l).
Etymology 2
From Middle Korean ᅌᅵ (Yale: -ngì-, deferential/self-humbling suffix). See the main entry for more.
Suffix
이 • (-i-)
- Post-vowel and post-liquid allomorphic form of 으이 (-eu'i-, polite deferential suffix).
References
- Vovin, Alexander (2010) Koreo-Japonica: A Re-evaluation of a Genetic Origin, University of Hawaii Press, →ISBN, page 6
- 장윤희 (2006), “고대국어의 파생접미사 연구 [A study of Old Korean derivational suffixes]”, in Gugyeol yeon'gu, volume 47