KOREAN MORPHOLOGY · PREDICATES

Predicates

Stems

Removing dictionary-form -다 from VV verbs and VA adjectives produces the base stem. Lexicon entries provide regular or irregular substitution classes and vowel-harmony information.

A stem surface form is not a fixed prefix because it can change with the ending environment.

Inflection classes

Regular inflection combines final consonant, last vowel, and ending onset. Irregular entries apply bounded stem substitutions before shared ending transitions.

When a lemma permits both regular and irregular forms, the engine retains both programs.

v:먹다 matches 먹는다, 먹었지만, and 먹기. It does not match the derived noun 먹거리, which is not a predicate-ending transition.

Copulas

Positive VCP 이다 and negative VCN 아니다 connect nominal hosts to endings. 학생이었다 has 학생/NNG+이/VCP+었/EP+다/EF.

If source structure cannot distinguish copular 이 from the subject particle, analyses compatible with the query remain.