-어라

See also: 어라

Korean

Alternative forms
  • 여라 (-yeora) — used after 하다 (hada) verbs and adjectives

Pronunciation
Romanizations
Revised Romanization?eora
Revised Romanization (translit.)?eola
McCune–Reischauer?ŏra
Yale Romanization?ela

Etymology 1

From Middle Korean 어〮 (Yale: -é, infinitive suffix) + 라〮 (Yale: -lá, imperative mood suffix).

Suffix
Ablaut/harmonic pair
Yin-form 어라 (-eora)
Yang-form 아라 (-ara)

어라 • (-eora)

  1. a plain-style imperative suffix.
    천천히 먹어라, 체할라.
    cheoncheonhi meogeora, chehalla.
    Slow down; you may suffer from indigestion.
    너는 그렇게 살아라. 나는 나대로 살겠다.
    neo-neun geureo-ke sarara. na-neun nadaero sal-get-da.
    As for you, live like that. I'll live my own way.
Usage notes
  • For vowel harmony, contractions, and allomorphy, see 아/어/여 (-a/eo/yeo).
  • 어라 (-eora) cannot be used with the tense markers 겠 (-get-) and 었 (-eot-).

Etymology 2

From Middle Korean 에/애 (Yale: -èy/ày, exclamatory suffix) + 라〮 (Yale: -lá, alternative form of declarative mood suffix 다〮 (-tá)).

The fusion is sometimes analyzed as already having occurred in Middle Korean.

Suffix
Ablaut/harmonic pair
Yin-form 어라 (-eora)
Yang-form 아라 (-ara)

어라 • (-eora)

  1. a plain-style exclamatory ending for verbs and adjectives; not specifically addressed to another person and particularly common when talking to oneself; mainly used in colloquial speech.
    멀리 있는 너 생각이 들어 정말 외로워라!
    meolli in-neun neo saenggag-i deur-eo jeongmal oerowora!
    How truly lonely I am to think of you who are far away!
    • 1924, 이장희 [ijanghui, Yi Jang-hui], “봄은 고양이로다 [bomeun goyang'iroda, Spring is a cat]”, in 金(금)星(성)‎:
      고요히 다물은 고양이의 입술에 / 폭은한 봄졸음이 ᄯᅥ돌아라.
      goyohi damureun goyangi-eui ipsure / pogeunhan bomjoreumi tteodorara.
      On the cat's lips, tranquilly shut / A cozy spring's drowsiness is wandering by.
    • 1945, Yi Yuksa, 曠(광)野(야)‎:
      지금 눈 나리고 / 梅(매)花(화)香(향)氣(기) 홀로 아득하니 / 내 여기 가난한 노래의 씨를 뿌려라.
      Jigeum nun narigo / maehwa hyanggi hollo adeukhani / nae yeogi gananhan norae-ui ssireul ppuryeora.
      Snow is falling now / And the scent of the plum flower alone is faint / How I scatter here the seeds of impoverished songs!
    • 2017, “놀래라, '311살의 감성전' [nollaera, 311sarui gamseongjeon]”, in OhmyNews‎:
      놀래라. 무려 311살의 감성전이잖아요?
      Nollaera. Muryeo sambaegyeolhansarui gamseongjeonijanayo?
      Wow, I'm shocked. That's 311 years' worth of sensibility exhibitions!
Usage notes
  • For vowel harmony, contractions, and allomorphy, see 아/어/여 (-a/eo/yeo).
  • 어라 (-eora) cannot be used with the tense markers 겠 (-get-) and 었 (-eot-).
  • The Standard Korean Language Dictionary claims that this ending can only occur on adjectives, but Jeong 2001 gives several examples in which it is undeniably applied to verbs. See also the quotations above of verbal usage in major contemporary literature.
See also
  • 구나 (-guna), 구먼 (-gumeon), 누나 (-nuna), 구려 (-guryeo)

References
  • 정재영 (Jeong Jae-yeong) (2001) “國(국)語(어) 感(감)歎(탄)文(문)의 變(변)化(화)”, in Jindan hakbo, volume 92, pages 293—325
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