John Wainwright
Grammar questions about "따뜻한 걸로 드릴까요?" I see this sentence in a coffee shop conversation: "따뜻한 걸로 드릴까요?" and I'm trying to understand the literal meaning, as it has two aspects that confuse(!). First, I think the "걸로" is a shortening of "것" + "을" + "(으)로". If that's the case, I'm trying to decide if "따뜻한 것을" means "a warm thing" with "따뜻한" being the adjectival from of "따뜻하다" modifying "것", or if it means "the fact or state of being warm" (or just "being warm"), with "ㄴ 것" nominalizing "따뜻하다". Perhaps more simply, how do you say "a warm thing" vs "being warm"? Seems to be "따뜻한 것" for both? Seems to be what Google and Bing said: "I like warm things" and "I like being warm" both translated as "나는 따뜻한 것을 좋아합니다" ?? Interestingly, Papago said "I like being warm" is "나는 따뜻해지는 것을 좋아합니다" which is more correctly translated as "I like becoming warm", right? Second thing: I know "(으)로" has a zillion meanings (with, towards, as, according to, ...), wondering which one applies here; it doesn't seem necessary? Isn't "따뜻한 걸 드릴까요?" enough - "A warm thing can I give you?" or "[it] being warm, can I give you?" Thanks for any help, John.
Nov 6, 2019 11:10 PM
Answers · 1
I like warm things. => 따뜻한 ‘것’을 좋아합니다/좋아해요. => thing을 강조 => same everyday I like being warm. => 따뜻한 ‘상태’를 좋아합니다/좋아해요.(when you understand) => 따뜻한 것을 좋아합니다/좋아해요.(when you say) => being을 강조. 즉, 따뜻한 ‘상태’를 강조. => right now 1. I like warm things. 2. I like being warm. Both : 따뜻한 것을 좋아합니다. or 따뜻한 게 좋아요.(in conversation) 따뜻한 걸로 주세요.(in coffee shop) 2. 따뜻한 상태를 좋아합니다/좋아해요. or 따뜻한 상태가 좋아요.(in meaning)
November 7, 2019
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