Abstract

This study argues that ‘-gessdago’ functions like an conjuctive ending expressing purpose and suggest its characteristics in syntactic and semantic aspects. ‘-Gessdago’ can be analyzed as two kinds of combination based on its form: (1) combination of quotes ending with ‘-gessda’ and quotative marker ‘go’ (2) combination of prefinal ending ‘-gess-’ and conjunctive ending ‘-dago’ which expresses reason. But it cannot be analyzed as (1) because the clauses which it combines are not complements of quotative verbs. The clauses which it combines cannot be substituted by ‘geuleohge’ and by question words such as ‘mwolago’, ‘eotteohge’. ‘Go’ of ‘-gessdago’ cannot be deleted and sequences like ‘-gessdalago’ are impossible. ‘-Gessdago’ cannot be analyed as (2), either. It does not express reason as ‘-dago’ does and ‘-gess-’ in it denotes characteristics which are different from ordinary ‘-gess-’. ‘-Gessdago’ is different from ‘-dago’ of reason in several aspects; it can be substituted by conjunctive endings which express purpose. The state of affairs expressed in the first clause follows that in the second clause in sequential aspect. The subject of the first clause should be same as that of the second clause. ‘-Gess-’ in ‘-gessdago-’ can be analysed as ‘-gess-’ of intention in its meaning, but it is different from ordinary ‘-gess-’ of intention; it can combine various kinds of adjectives and it does not impose restrictions on the person of the subject. ‘-Gessdago’ as a function unit like a conjunctive ending denote cha- racteristics like the following; the subject of the first clause should be same as that of the second clause. The second clause cannot be either imperative nor propositive. The second clauses which are interrogatives tend to be rhetorical questions. Prefinal ending ‘-ess-’ cannot come before ‘-gessdago’. These characteristics are same as conjunctive ending ‘-jago’. They are different from conjunctive endings ‘-lyeogo’ and ‘-goja’ in that the second clauses which are interrogatives tend to be rhetorical questions and the speaker doesn’t regard the purpose expressed in the first clause as valuable. ‘-Jago’ and ‘-gessdago’ can be substituted in most contexts, but ‘-jago’ is different from ‘-gessdago’ in that it shows restriction that the subject should be first person in declaratives and should be second person in interrogatives. They also denote difference in kinds of predicates which they combine.