Pro-drop language

· from English

What is a pro-drop language?

A pro-drop language allows pronouns to be omitted when they are clear from context, as Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Spanish do.

Japanese and Korean drop subjects and objects constantly; using 私 watashi or 너 neo in every sentence sounds stilted or even rude. Mandarin drops pronouns less but still freely. The listener reconstructs who did what from context and honorifics.

Examples

行く？ iku? (going?) 行く。 iku. (going.); 吃了嗎？ chī le ma? (eaten yet?); 먹었어? meogeosseo? (did [you] eat?)

Kungfucius says: Who is going? Context is going. Keep up.