Japanese/Korean Linguistics

This study examines the semantic evolution of the Korean adverb iltan, which originally denoted a short duration and later developed into a conditional marker. Initially expressing brief temporal span, iltan came to indicate temporal priority among alternative actions and eventually grammaticalized into a marker of sufficient condition—signaling that once event A occurs, event B follows. The semantic shift is argued to result from the interplay of speaker intention, perceived temporal proximity, and event prioritization. A comparison with the Chinese cognate yidan highlights how these forms diverged cross-linguistically. This synchronic study provides a basis for future diachronic and typological research on grammaticalization in East Asian languages.