-ㅂ네까

Korean

Etymology

See 습니까 (-seumnikka).

Suffix

ㅂ네까 • (-mnekka)

1. (Pyongan, Northern Hwanghae, areas of Hamgyong) Post-vowel or post-liquid allomorphic form of 습네까 (-seumnekka, formal polite interrogative suffix)

   Synonym: ㅂ니까 (-mnikka)

   • 1949, Kim Nae-Sung, 청춘극장 [Cheongchun'geukjang, Theatre of Youth], 평안남도 대동군 [pyeong'annamdo daedonggun]:

     왜들 그럽네까? 그러디들 말소구레.

     Wae-deul geureomnekka? Geureo-di-deul mal-so-gu-re.

     Why are you guys acting like that? Stop being like this.

     Taedong, South Pyongan. The writer, Kim Nae-Sung, was born and raised in Namgot township of Taedong County (modern-day Kangnam County in Pyongyang).

Usage notes

While some North Korean defectors claim that this is an exaggerated or even a made-up form, most defectors are Yukjin or Hamgyong speakers from Northern Hamgyong or Yanggang Province, and thus use, 슴둥 (-seumdung), 슴두 (-seumdu) or 슴까 (-seumkka) forms instead. Among defectors from Pyongan speaking areas, some appear to consider this form old fashioned or quaint.