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This paper explores the linguistic specificity of English and Korean by comparing the formal realizations of specificity. The indefinite articles in English and zero articles in Korean are argued not to indicate the specificity features of the noun phrase[NP] concerned, with these features dependent partially on the contexts of the sentences and partly on additional lexical markers and word orderings of the arguments under the principle of communicative dynamism. Secondly, the two aspects of specificity effects are compared between the two languages. The first effect concerns the gradience of specificity when supplementary elements like certain/specific in English and etten/-ul in Korean are added to noun phrases. The supplementary elements in English ensure the specificity of the NPs, while these elements in Korean increase the probability of specificity, but do not guarantee it. The second effect is that the notion of specificity serves as a constraint on movement and co-reference. In English the specificity constraint for movement applies to the wh-movement and complex NP constraint for relativization, while it does not apply in the Korean language. It is argued that the specificity requirements for co-reference applies to long-distance co-reference of personal pronouns in English, while they apply to the reflexive pronoun caki and casin distinction in Korean.

In this study, we proposed an Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) system for Korean learner texts using a multi-view model. To address the linguistic complexity of Korean, the model represents the input text with various n-grams and combines the results of the base models trained on these features in a higher meta model to make the final prediction. The system outperformed the transformer-based AWE models, achieving an average accuracy of 83.5% and an average F1 score exceeding 82% across evaluation datasets. Furthermore, it maintained consistent performance across all proficiency levels and showed particularly better robustness on unseen data. In addition, the system enhances interpretability of the automatic grading by providing a confidence score for the prediction, the linguistic features using PCA analysis, and the n-gram tokens that contributed to the rating. This study is expected to provide practical help for teachers to evaluate learners' writing more efficiently and accurately.

This study investigates how the Korean modality expression -ul-swu-iss with -ess attached is interpreted by 54 Korean speakers and three variants of the large language model [LLM] ChatGPT: GPT3.5-turbo, GPT4, and GPT4o. The results show a discrepancy between the way in which humans and LLMs interpret this expression. Human participants demonstrate a clear preference for the uncertain interpretation for -ess-ul-swu-iss and the unactualized interpretation for -ul-swu-iss-ess with the desirability of the event modulating the preference, but none of the models capture this nuanced distinction in meaning. The human results are discussed based on Condoravdi(2002), such that the past perspective in -ul-swu-iss-ess derives the counterfactual implicature from the unactualized result whereas the present perspective in -ess-ul-swu-iss derives the epistemic reading from the speaker’s uncertainty about the result. The results from these LLMs indicate that they are not yet able to interpret these expressions as humans do.

This study investigated individual differences in language learning traits and intercultural sensitivity among Uzbek first-language speakers learning Korean as a second language(L2) in relation to their attained proficiency. Participants(N = 68) were divided into lower- and upper-proficiency groups according to scores on the Test of Proficiency in Korean. Data were collected from two questionnaires conducted separately over four weeks. The two groups were compared with regards to self-perceived sensitivities to L2 input and preferences in L2 use. Their differences in intercultural sensitivity were compared across three domains: affective, cognitive, and behavioral. The results reveal that advanced learners have greater sensitivities, particularly in lexicogrammatical knowledge, language-related memory, and behavioral adaptation in crosscultural contexts. The affective and cognitive domains of intercultural sensitivity did not vary considerably between the two groups, suggesting that L2 proficiency achievement may not be directly modulated by these factors. The findings suggest that individual differences in linguistic and intercultural sensitivities play a role in L2 development to some extent, but not all constructs are equally influential.

The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate that the underlying structure of English wh&wh constructions is a mono-clausal one. Previous analyses of wh&wh constructions, such as the elliptical analysis of Giannakidou and Merchant(1998) and the multiple dominance conceptualization of Citko and Gracanin-Yuksek(2013), Citko(2013), and Gracanin Yuksek(2007) posit a bi-clausal structure as an underlying structure. However, the bi-clausal analyses are untenable due to empirical problems. This paper shows that Chomsky’s(2023) Box System can explain the formation processes of wh&wh constructions. Further, an argumental wh-adjunct where is optionally boxed, and a boxed wh-phrase is subject to the movement timing constraint.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the structural similarities between serial verbs and object-oriented depictive secondary predicates in agglutinative languages, such as Korean, Japanese and Turkish. In many serial verb languages, such as Korean, the first verb(V1) in V1-V2 constructions of simultaneous serial verb constructions usually express the manner of the V2 and the subevent denoted by V1 occurs simultaneously with the one denoted by V2. Similarly, the object-oriented depictive predicate denotes an event that occurs at the same time as the main verb and generally expresses the manner of the main verb. Moreover, Baker’s(1989) and Collins’(1997) internal argument-sharing hypothesis, which asserts that in a serial verb constructions, V1 and V2 must share an internal argument, also applies to object-oriented depictive constructions. We will demonstrate that these two constructions share some syntactic, semantic and prosodic characteristics. Based on an investigation of some serial verb languages, we conclude that object-oriented depictives form complex predicates with the verb, much like V1-V2 simultaneous serial verbs.

This paper explores the iconicity theory outlined in Haiman(1983), Newmeyer(1992), and Van Langendonck(2012) from a morphological perspective by examining verb voice categories in the Uzbek language. Through a detailed analysis based on Manova(2023), it is shown that morphological affixes attached to the verb root, which generate various voice forms, induce iconic transformations in the verb’s lexical properties. This phenomenon is explored with the consideration of the following two proposed principles: first, a morphological expansion in the form of a word correlates with a lexical expansion in its associated meaning; second, an enlargement in the linguistic distance between the verb root and its affixed morphological suffix engender a proportional increase in conceptual distance. These principles shed light on cognitive processes and linguistic mechanisms that regulate the relationship between morphological structure and semantic meaning in the Uzbek language based on the concept of iconicity.

This study explores Chinese learners’ use of English passive voice through a comparative analysis of two learner corpora(ICLE_Ch and LOCNESS) and a reference corpus(BNC 2014). By analyzing the frequency of English passive constructions, syntactic errors, semantic prosodies, and over-passivization, this study reveals significant differences between Chinese learners and native English speakers. The findings show that Chinese learners use the passive voice less, associate it with more negative connotations, and make more syntactic errors, especially in agreement and passive participle formation. This study also found that Chinese learners tend to overuse the passive voice, especially with inanimate subjects. These differences are attributed to differences in Chinese and English syntax and semantico-pragmatics. This study infers the pedagogical implications that Chinese students should be encouraged to use more passive constructions in their English writings when necessary and to pay attention to the rules of tense and subject-verb agreement and passive participle formation. They should also be taught to avoid excessive passivization and the tendency to link English passives to negative semantic prosody.

This study examines keyword lexical bundles—widely distributed and legally significant multi-word expressions—across four maritime legal genres: Case Law, Legal Documents, Legislation, and Academic Legal Articles. Using a text dispersion-based approach, it effectively isolates domain-specific bundles, addressing the limitations of traditional frequency-based methods, which often overlook widely dispersed yet legally critical expressions. Findings reveal that academic keyword lexical bundles are most prevalent in Legislation and Academic Legal Articles, contributing to conceptual clarity and structured legal argumentation, while technical keyword lexical bundles are evenly distributed across Case Law, Legal Documents, and contracts, ensuring contractual precision and regulatory consistency. By classifying these bundles using the Maritime Academic Word List and the Maritime Technical Word List, this study identifies distinct syntactic and functional patterns, distinguishing referential, organizational, and stance functions. These findings contribute to ESP education, legal drafting, and maritime legal analysis, fostering linguistic accuracy, consistency, and clarityin maritime legal communication and regulatory frameworks.