Some Remarks on Korean Nominalizer kes and Information Structure

Some Remarks on Korean Nominalizer kes and Information Structure

  We argue that uses of the Korean form kes in copular sentences, in which it appears to function sometimes as a nominalizer and sometimes as a marker of a cleft or pseudo-cleft construction. All of these fall under a simple analysis once the information-structure properties of copular clauses are taken into consideration: that they have predicative and equative uses (independently of kes). We propose that a kes-phrase may identify an all-new referent, or it may refer to a previously-established one; but it may not have a predicative use - it may not provide further descriptive information about a referent already established.