-이야

See also: 이야

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Korean 이〮ᅀᅡ〮 (Yale: -í-zá), from Old Korean 是沙 (*-i-sa).

In Old Korean, 沙 (*-sa) was actually a verbal suffix, so the first element 是 (*-i-) > 이〮 (Yale: -í-) is simply the copula 이다 (-ida, “to be”).

After Middle Korean /z/ was lost, /-j-/ was introduced to break hiatus. Gyeongsang Korean 이사 (-isa) preserves the original pronunciation.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ija̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [이야]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	iya
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	iya
McCune–Reischauer?	iya
Yale Romanization?	iya

Particle

이야 • (-iya)

1. as for; adds emphasis to the topic of the sentence.

   그야 모를 일이지. ― Geu-ya moreul ir-i-ji. ― As for that, it's something [we] can't know.

   저야 다쳐도 괜찮으니 아이만 구해주세요.

   Jeo-ya dacheodo gwaenchaneuni ai-man guhae-juseyo.

   As for me, it's okay if I get hurt; please, just save the kid.

   이 정도쯤이야 식은 죽 먹기지!

   I jeongdo-jjeum-iya sigeun juk meokgi-ji!

   As for this level, it's a pushover!

   사람이야 희노애락이 있지만 천지신명도 그렇겠소?

   Saram-iya huinoaerag-i itjiman cheonjisinmyeong-do geureoketso?

   As for we humans, we are pleased or angry, sad or happy; but would the myriad spirits be like us?

Alternative forms

• 야 (-ya) — after vowels
• 이사 (-isa), 사 (-sa) — Gyeongsang dialect