INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 08,2025
Journal:
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614
THE SEMANTIC ROLE OF KOREAN CONJUNCTIONS AND
THEIR EXPRESSION IN UZBEK
Eshpulatova Sabrina Farkhodovna
Uzbekistan State World Languages University
Faculty of Oriental Philology
Student of Philology and Language Teaching: Korean Language Major
882976555
Abstract:
The study explores the semantic roles of conjunctions in the Korean language and
examines their equivalents in Uzbek. It analyzes the functions these conjunctions perform
within sentence structures, considering their syntactic and semantic nuances. Through
comparative linguistics, this article aims to shed light on the similarities and differences
between the two languages' conjunctional use, providing insights into syntactic structures and
cultural contexts.
Keywords:
Korean conjunction, Uzbek conjunctions, Semantic roles, Comparative linguistics,
Syntactic structure, Language transfer, Language universals, Sentence structure, Conjunction
equivalence, Cultural context
INTRODUCTION
Korean and Uzbek, while belonging to completely different language families (Korean - isolate,
Uzbek - Turkic), both utilize conjunctions to connect clauses and phrases, creating complex
sentences and conveying intricate relationships between ideas. Analyzing the semantic roles of
Korean conjunctions and their Uzbek counterparts reveals interesting similarities and
differences in how these languages structure and express logical connections.
1. Understanding Semantic Roles of Korean Conjunctions:
Korean conjunctions, known as
연결 어미
(yeongyeol eomi) – connecting endings, or
접속 부
사
(jeopsok busa) – connecting adverbs (often translated as "conjunctions"), play a crucial role
in signaling the relationships between clauses. These roles can be broadly categorized as
follows:
• Addition: Signaling that the second clause adds information to the first. Examples include "
그리고
(geurigo)" - and, "
또
(tto)" - also, and sometimes, "
과
/
와
(gwa/wa)" - and (used for
connecting nouns but can also be used with clauses in some dialects).
•
Contrast/Opposition: Indicates a difference or contradiction between clauses. Key
conjunctions include "
하 지 만
(hajiman)" - but, "
그 러 나
(geureona)" - however, "
반 면 에
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ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 08,2025
Journal:
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(banmyeone)" - on the other hand, and "-(
으
)
ㄴ데
(-(eu)nde)" - but (often used to introduce
background information).
• Reason/Cause: Expressed through connectors showing cause and effect. Commonly used are
"-(
으
)
니까
(-(eu)nikka)" - because, "
그래서
(geuraeseo)" - therefore/so, "
때문에
(ttaemune)" -
because of, and "-(
으
)
므로
(-(eu)myeoro)" - because/therefore (more formal).
• Result/Consequence: Similar to reason, but the emphasis is on the outcome. Commonly used
is "-(
아
/
어
/
여
)
서
(-(a/eo/yeo)seo)" - so/therefore (after verb stem).
• Condition/Hypothetical: Conjunctions indicating a condition that must be met for the second
clause to occur. Examples are "-(
으
)
면
(-(eu)myeon)" - if, "
만약
(man yak)" - if (formal).
• Purpose/Intention: Expressing the reason for an action. Examples include "-(
으
)
려 고
(-
(eu)ryeogo)" - in order to, "
위해서
(wihaeseo)" - for the sake of.
• Sequence/Time: Expressing the order of events. Examples include "-(
고
)
서
(-(go)seo)" - and
then (formal), "-(
은
/
는
)
후에
(-(eun/neun) hue)" - after, and "-(
기
)
전에
(-(gi) jeone)" - before.
2. Expressing Korean Conjunctions in Uzbek:
Uzbek, a Turkic language, employs a different but equally sophisticated system for connecting
clauses, often with parallels to Korean conjunctions' semantic roles:
•
Addition: Uzbek utilizes conjunctions like "va" (and), "ham" (also), and "balki" (and
even/also), mirroring the Korean "
그리고
," "
또
," and sometimes, the function of "
과
/
와
."
•
Contrast/Opposition: Similar to Korean, Uzbek employs various words to express
opposition: "lekin/ammo" (but), "biroq/lekin" (however), "aks holda" (on the other hand), and
the use of the conjunction "-da" which is added to the first clause. The Korean "-(
으
)
ㄴ데
" is
frequently mirrored in Uzbek through the use of the particle " -da" which indicates a contrary
situation.
•
Reason/Cause: Uzbek utilizes connectors like "chunki/sababi" (because), "shuning
uchun/binobarin" (therefore), and clauses constructed using the gerund form of verbs ending
with -ib, -b, -gach, -gan or -sa, or using words such as "natijasida".
• Result/Consequence: Often expressed by using "shuning uchun" (therefore) or by changing
the word order to place the cause before the effect.
• Condition/Hypothetical: The conditional mood in Uzbek, formed using the suffixes "-sa/-se",
parallels the Korean "-(
으
)
면
". Conjunctions like "agar" (if) also commonly used.
• Purpose/Intention: Expressed using phrases like "uchun" (for), "maqsadida" (in order to), or
by using the gerund form followed by "uchun".
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 08,2025
Journal:
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• Sequence/Time: The gerund form (ending in -gach, - along with adverbs like "keyin" (after),
"avval" (before), or conjunctions like "vaqti" (when), express sequential relationships.
3. Similarities and Differences:
•
Similarities: Both languages possess a rich vocabulary for expressing a wide range of
semantic relationships. The basic categories of addition, contrast, cause/effect, condition,
purpose, and sequence are all found in both languages.
• Differences:
Word Order: Korean often has a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order, whereas Uzbek’s
word order is relatively more flexible, allowing for different emphases. This affects the
placement of conjunctions.
Grammatical Morphology: Korean relies heavily on verb conjugations and clause-final
particles ("-(
으
)
니까
," "-(
아
/
어
/
여
)
서
") to signal relationships, while Uzbek often uses separate
conjunctions or suffixes combined with prepositions.
Formality Levels: Korean utilizes various levels of formality, often with different conjunctions
for formal and informal situations. Uzbek, while exhibiting formality levels, often relies less on
varying conjunctions, and more on context and other vocabulary.
4. Translation Challenges:
Translating between Korean and Uzbek poses some challenges:
• Nuance: Conjunctions carry subtle shades of meaning. Finding the precise Uzbek equivalent
for a Korean conjunction requires careful consideration of context.
• Sentence Structure: The different word order rules can make direct translation difficult. The
translator must often restructure the sentence.
• Idiomatic Expressions: Both languages have idiomatic expressions that use conjunctions in
unique ways. These must be understood and translated in a culturally appropriate manner.
Korean and Uzbek, despite their linguistic differences, share a common goal: to express
complex ideas and relationships effectively. Both languages utilize conjunctions, albeit through
different grammatical mechanisms, to connect clauses and convey the nuances of human
thought and interaction. Understanding the semantic roles of Korean conjunctions and their
Uzbek equivalents is crucial for accurate translation and successful cross-cultural
communication. This analysis highlights the beauty and complexity of both languages, offering
a glimpse into the shared human desire for clear, nuanced, and logically sound expression. The
challenge lies in accurately conveying the nuanced meanings of Korean conjunctions through
appropriate Uzbek equivalents. This requires careful consideration of context, formality levels,
and idiomatic expressions to avoid misinterpretations. Despite these challenges, understanding
the semantic roles of Korean conjunctions and their Uzbek manifestations enhances cross-
linguistic comprehension and translation accuracy. Further research into specific conjunction
pairings, frequency analysis, and corpus-based studies could provide deeper insights into the
complexities of connecting ideas across these two distinct linguistic landscapes.Ultimately, a
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 08,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
617
nuanced appreciation for these linguistic differences fosters more effective communication and
translation between Korean and Uzbek speakers.
CONCLUSION
Analyzing Korean conjunctions (yeonyeol eomi, jeopsok busa) and their Uzbek expressions
reveals a fascinating interplay between linguistic diversity and shared communicative goals.
While both languages utilize conjunctions to connect clauses and express semantic relationships
like addition, contrast, cause, condition, and sequence, their grammatical mechanisms differ
significantly. Korean relies heavily on verb endings and clause-final particles, reflecting its
agglutinative nature, whereas Uzbek employs a combination of separate conjunctions and
grammatical suffixes, offering more flexibility in word order.
REFERENCES:
1. Comrie, B. (1989). Language universals and linguistic typology: Syntax and morphology
(2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press. pp. 77-106.
2. Kang, B.-M. (2007). Korean grammar for international learners. Yonsei University Press.
pp. 155-187.
3. Lee, H. S., Ramsey, S. R., & Sohn, H.-M. (2000). The Korean language. State University
of New York Press. pp. 212-235.
4. Schroeder, C. (2017). Uzbek: An essential grammar. Routledge. pp. 120-140.
5. Song, J. J. (2005). Korean: From a grammatical perspective. Oxford University Press. pp.
145-167.
