말하자면 I know 말하자면 means "so to speak", "if you ask me", "as we say", etc. and that it often used with adverbs: 일반적으로 말하자면, 사실대로 말하자면, 솔직히 말하자면, 등등. It's probably just a set phrase now, but I'm curious

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Mojave

말하자면 I know 말하자면 means "so to speak", "if you ask me", "as we say", etc. and that it often used with adverbs: 일반적으로 말하자면, 사실대로 말하자면, 솔직히 말하자면, 등등. It's probably just a set phrase now, but I'm curious about the grammar. 말하자면 = 말하다 + 자(고 하)면 Is that correct? So this is using the verb 말하다 with the suggestive ending 자 and quoting. But I don't understand why 자 and quoting are used? Would 말하면 work just as well? 감사합니다!

2014년 1월 30일 오전 4:59

답변 · 3

If you come across this word "말하자면" in a text, you should detemine whether it to be an adverbial or just plain condition phrase. Like Engllish, the adverbials are usually placed at the beginning of the clauses in Korean. The adverbial "말하-자면" is a contraction of the phrase "말로 하자면", meaning "so to speak" in English. 무엇을 말로 (표현)하다(or 설명하다) to express something (for examples a state, situation, event, etc) in words. to give details about something in words. In the phrase "말로 하-자면", the connective ending "-자면" is used. (이것을) 말로 (표현)하-자면, (with the connective ending "-자면") And this phrase can be replaced with the following phrase. (이것을) 말로 (표현)하-고자 하면/한다면, (with the connectvie ending "-고자") Thus, sometimes, the adverbial "말하자면" can be replaced with the phrase "다시 말하면/말해서(to say/express in other words)"

2014년 1월 30일

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