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~(으)나: Irrelevance Among Options
Vocabulary
Nouns:
깊이 = depth
선사 = prehistory
주한 = the US army in Korea
본성 = innate nature, disposition
안보 = security
고의 = intention, deliberate act
조준 = aim, targeting
대리인 = representative, agent, proxy
다방면 = many sided
홍보실 = public relations department
은연중 = without realization
최소한 = at least
최대한 = at most
Verbs:
녹화하다 = to record
매수하다 = to purchase
장전하다 = to load a gun
진출하다 = to enter into
Adjectives:
빤하다 = to be clear, to be obvious, to be evident
크나크다 = to be very big
여전하다 = to remain the same, to be unchanged
Introduction
In this lesson, you will continue to learn about ~(으)나. In this lesson, you will add to the ways you saw ~(으)나 used by learning about two more meanings for it. Let’s get started!
~(으)나: Irrelevance Among Options
In the previous lesson, you saw many uses of ~나 and we discussed the purpose of ~(으)나. There are more uses for ~(으)나 that will be introduced in this lesson.
In this usage, ~(으)나 is usually attached to two words (verbs, adjectives or 이다) in a sentence. This usage of ~(으)나 indicates that the outcome doesn’t change, no matter which option occurs. Let’s look at a simple example:
집에서 쉬나 공원에서 쉬나 피로는 풀리지 않아요
= Whether I rest at home or in the park, the fatigue doesn’t go away
Here, the speaker is not indicating that they need to choose between resting at home or going to the park. Rather, whether they go to the park or stay home, the situation is the same. This is really the key to this usage of ~(으)나. It is a grammatical principle that indicates it doesn’t matter which one is chosen among various options.
In my mind, this is similar to ~거나, which was introduced in Lesson 58. ~거나 is more about options that need to be chosen. For example, the first example using ~거나 in Lesson 58 is the following:
여자 친구를 위해 편지를 쓰거나 선물을 사 줄 거예요
= I will write a letter, or buy a present for my girlfriend
The use of ~거나 indicates that the speaker will either write a letter or buy a present. They will choose between one or the other. In this meaning is a feeling that they will choose the best option, whatever that may be. Conversely, using ~(으)나 is for when there is no difference in what happens. A different ending to the sentence might make it a bit more relevant to that situation. For example:
여자 친구를 위해 편지를 쓰나 선물을 사 주나 마음은 같아요
= Whether I write a letter or buy her a present, my heart is the same
With the use of ~(으)나, the speaker isn’t indicating that they need to choose. Rather, both options are viable and the ending indicates that it doesn’t matter which occurs.
This usage of ~(으)나 is more likely to appear in formal writing, presentations, or analytical commentary, rather than in casual everyday speech.
Below are many examples:
결과가 빤하나 불확실하나 준비는 해야 돼요
= Whether the outcome is obvious or uncertain, preparation is necessary
현장에서 보나 녹화해서 보나 감동은 같아요
= Whether you watch it live or recorded, the emotion is the same
주한 미군이 있나 없나 안보 불안은 여전해요
= Whether U.S. forces are stationed in Korea or not, the anxiety over national security remains
다방면으로 아나 한 가지만 아나 깊이는 중요해요
Whether you know many fields or only one, depth is what matters
최대한 준비를 하나 급히 하다 보나 실수는 생겨요
= Whether I prepare as much as I can or rush through it, mistakes still happen
국내 시장에 진출하나 해외에 진출하나 경쟁은 치열해요
= Whether entering the domestic or overseas market, the competition is fierce
홍보실에서 말하나 다른 부서에서 말하나 내용은 같아요
= Whether it’s said by the PR department or another department, the content is the same
은연중에 실수를 하나 고의로 실수를 하나 결과는 같아요
Whether you make a mistake unconsciously or intentionally, the result is the same
직접 매수하나 대리인을 통해 하나 계약 조건은 동일해요
= Whether you purchase it directly or through an agent, the contract terms are the same
총을 먼저 장전하나 후에 장전하나 정확한 조준이 더 중요해요
= Whether you load the gun early or later, accurate aim matters more
선사 시대를 연구하나 현대를 연구하나 인간의 본성은 변하지 않아요
Whether you study prehistory or modern times, human nature doesn’t change
That’s it for this lesson!