Today, I came across a song by Sim Jae-kyeong (심재경) entitled "참 좋으이더," which apparently is the Andong (Northern Gyeongsang region) dialect for either 참 좋습니다 or 참 좋군요. The English translation would be "This/That is great!" What I found interesting about the title of the song is that 좋으이, without the 다, is a Korean exclamation for "Good!" or "Great!"
When Koreans want to express surprise or excitement, as if they were talking to themselves, they traditionally add -는구나 (군) to verb stems and -구나 (군) to adjectives and the copula (이다) stems. Optionally, they can add -네 to verb stems, -(으)이 to adjective stems, and -ㄹ세 to the copula stem (이다/아니다). See the following examples:
Action Verbs
- 비가 오는구나.
- 먹는구나.
- 비가 오네.
- 먹네.
Adjectives (Descriptive Verbs)
- 산이 높구나.
- 딸이 예쁘구나.
- 산이 높으이
- 딸이 예쁘이
Copula (이다/아니다*)
- 외국 사람이구나.
- 한국 사람이 아니구나.
- 외국 사람일세.
- 한국 사람이 아닐세.
* Though 아니다 is classified as an adjective, it is also the negative form of the copula 이다 (i.e. 안 이다) and takes the -ㄹ세 ending instead of the adjective ending -(으)이, so 아니다 is not your average adjective.
Though many Koreans still seem to be using -는구나 and -구나, many younger Koreans these days seem to be adding -네 or -네요 to almost everything, thereby, ignoring the above distinctions between verbs, adjectives, and copulas. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but it is interesting to see that the phrase 좋으이다, suggesting 좋군요, is still being used by some in the provinces.
Below is a music video of the song mentioned above. The song is about a man who returns after a long time to his home village of Andong (안동), in North Gyeongsang Province, where he is greeted by an old friend who greets him using the familiar dialect of his childhood. Though I do not know much about the dialect, I have tried to translate the lyrics into standard Korean just below the video. I have also translated them into English. Anyway, it is a beautiful song.
Though many Koreans still seem to be using -는구나 and -구나, many younger Koreans these days seem to be adding -네 or -네요 to almost everything, thereby, ignoring the above distinctions between verbs, adjectives, and copulas. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but it is interesting to see that the phrase 좋으이다, suggesting 좋군요, is still being used by some in the provinces.
Below is a music video of the song mentioned above. The song is about a man who returns after a long time to his home village of Andong (안동), in North Gyeongsang Province, where he is greeted by an old friend who greets him using the familiar dialect of his childhood. Though I do not know much about the dialect, I have tried to translate the lyrics into standard Korean just below the video. I have also translated them into English. Anyway, it is a beautiful song.
안녕하시이껴 (안녕하십니까?)
How are you?
How are you?
How are you?
밥 잡샀니껴 (밥 잡수셨습니까?)
Have you eaten?
우리 참 오랫 마이씨더 (우리 참 오래만입니다.)
It's been a long time.
참 좋으이더 (참 좋습니다.)
This is great!
This is great!
이게 얼마 마이껴 (이게 얼마 만입니까?)
How long has it been?
잘 지냈니껴 (잘 니냈습니까?)
Have you been doing well?
옛모습 고대로씨더 (옛 모습 그대로입니다.)
You look just like your old self.
참 좋으이더 (참 좋습니다!)
This is great!
머 한다고 그리 바빴는지 (뭘 한다고 그렇게 바빴는지)
What has kept you so busy
서로 얼굴도 못보고 지냈니더 (서로 얼굴도 못 보고 지냈습니다.)
That we have not been able to see each other?
우리 인제는 자주 쫌 보시더 (우리 이제는 자주 좀 봅시다.)
From now on, let's please try to see each other frequently.
이래 보이 얼마나 좋으이껴 (이렇게 보니 얼마나 좋습니까?)
How great is it to meet like this.
안글리껴 (안 그렇습니까?)
Right?
안녕하시이껴 (안녕하십니까?)How are you?
밥 잡샀니껴 (밥 잡수셨습니까?
Have you eaten?
우리 참 오랫 마이씨더 (우리 참 오래만입니다.)
It's been a long time for us.
안녕하시이껴 (안녕하십니까?)
How are you?
Have you eaten?
우리 참 오랫 마이씨더 (우리 참 오래만입니다.)
It's been a long time for us.
참 좋으이더 (참 좋습니다.)
This is great!
This is great!
How are you?
밥 잡샀니껴 (밥 잡수셨습니까?)
Have you eaten?
This is great!
Have you eaten?
우리 참 오랫 마이씨더 (우리 참 오래만입니다.)
It's been a long time for us.
참 좋으이더 (참 좋습니다.)
This is great!
어른들 편하시니껴 (어른들 편하십니까?)
How are your parents?
아들도 마이 컸겠니더 (아이들도 많이 컸겠습니다.)
Your kids have probably grown a lot.
언제 같이 함 보시더 (언제 같이 한번 봅시다.)
Let's get together sometime.
참 좋으이더 (참 좋습니다.)
This is great!
머 한다고 그리 바빴는지 (뭘 한다고 그렇게 바빴는지.)
What has keep you so busy
서로 얼굴도 못보고 지냈니더 (서로 얼굴도 못 보고 지냈습니다.)
That we have not been able to see each other?
우리 인제는 자주 쫌 보시더 (우리 이제는 자주 좀 봅시다.)
From now on, let's please see each other frequently.
이래 보이 얼마나 좋으이껴 (이렇게 보니 얼마나 좋습니까?)
How great is it to meet like this?
안글리껴 (안 그렇습니까?)
Right?
안녕하시이껴 (안녕하십니까?)
How are you?
밥 잡샀니껴 (밥 잡수셨습니까?)
How you eaten?
우리 참 오랫 마이씨더 (우리 참 오래만입니다.)
It's been a long time.
참 좋으이더 (참 좋습니다.)
This is great!
참 좋으이더 (참 좋습니다.)
This is great!
참 좋으이더 (참 좋습니다.)This is great!
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