Where does “-어야지” come from?
-어야지 (Korean) comes from Korean -지, from Middle Korean -디〮, from Middle Korean -이〮, from Old Korean 是 — Nominative case marker.
-어야지 (Korean): The suffix often implies "one should / must / has to...", and can be used for both self-talk (determination) or to gently criticize someone else
Definitions
- The suffix often implies "one should / must / has to...", and can be used for both self-talk (determination) or to gently criticize someone else
Ancestry of “-어야지”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korean | -지 | Used to contrast two facts regarding the same topic, thereby emphasizing both facts. In conversation, it is usually used to deny or qualify something the other person has said. The second fact tends to be negated or a rhetorical question |
| 2 | Middle Korean | -디〮 | — |
| 3 | Middle Korean | -이〮 | — |
| 4 | Old Korean | 是 | Nominative case marker |