Une Classe de Constructions Adjectivales à Sujet-Complétive en Coréen

The adjectives described in this paper are defined by the following syntactic relation: (1) a. [N1-Acc VR - ki]0Adj ([V-inf N1 W]0 be Adj) b.= (N1)0 [VR - ki], - i Adj ((N,)0 be Adj Prep [V-inf W]) For example: [i This nunce problem -lîl Acc phul resolve -ki Sinf] -ka nmtf himtîl hard -ta St (To resolve this problem is hard) [i This nunce problem -nîn nmtf [phul resolve -ki Sinf] -ka Postp himtîl hard -ta St (This problem is hard to resolve) The relation (1) concerns some adjectival constructions which contain a sentential clause, reduced to an infinitive (i.e. the subject is deleted) and introduced by the suffix -ki. This infinitive is made up of an accusative complement and a transitive verb. We are interested in the syntactic relation between these two constructions, without supposing any transformational operations nor treating any changes of semantic and logical focus between each pair. The class of adjectives defined by the relation (1), codified as AP, includes about 320 items. It is contained in the classes of adjectives carac-terised by a subject-completive in our classification of Korean adjectives (about 5300 adjectives).