advcl: Adverbial clause modifier

Definition

advcl refers to an adverbial clause that depends on a main clause to modify a predicate or sentence.

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Characteristics

• The advcl tag refers to the predicate of a subordinate clause within a sentence. It provides information such as reason, condition, purpose, or concession regarding the predicate of another clause or the root of the sentence.
• The advcl tag typically includes EC (Ending_Connecting, 연결 어미) such as ‘-아/어서’, ‘-(니)까’, ‘-(으)면’, ‘-(으)러’, and ‘-(으)려고’.
• Examples:
  • 한국에 오니까 한국말이 늘었어요.
  • 우리는 공원에 가서 꽃을 구경해요.
  • 현재와 미래를 알기 위해 과거를 공부한다.
  • 문제가 생기면 선배님들이 도와주니까 걱정 마세요.

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Boundary cases and clarifications

Differences with related tags

• advcl vs. conj (Conjunct):
  • Both the advcl tag and the conj tag are used to analyze sentences with multiple clauses.
  • The advcl tag depends on the predicate of another clause or the root of the sentence. In contrast, the conj tag represents a predicate that is on equal footing with the preceding clause or root.
    • advcl: 부산까지 기차로 가면 비행기보다 싸다(root).
    • conj: 부산까지 기차로 가고(root) 거기에서 비행기로 갈아탄다.

Special cases

• The syntactic structure of advcl + mark (Marker):
  • The mark tag is a function word that makes one clause subordinate to another, usually following the advcl.
  • In the advcl + mark structure, the advcl typically includes an ETM (Ending_Determinitive, 관형형 전성 어미). Morphologically, the verb or adjective in the advcl modifies the noun in the mark. Syntactically, the mark tag helps the advcl subordinate to another clause.
    • 점심을 먹은(advcl) 후에(mark) 다 같이 출발합시다.
    • 저는 어렸을(advcl) 때부터(mark) 피아니스트가 되고 싶었습니다.

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Examples