Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 9 - Advanced Korean #2 (Lessons 241 to 270) ᚛ Lesson 264 - Because of the commotion in Korean [-는 통에]

Because of the commotion in Korean [-는 통에]

In this course: 는 통에 / 통에 / 통 / derangement

The bound noun 통 refers to a situation of disorder, noise, commotion: 난리 통, "in the middle of the chaos". Preceded by a verb in the adjectival form -는 and followed by the particle 에, it gives -는 통에, "in the commotion of", "with all the…": 아이들이 떠드는 통에, "with the children making such a racket". The cause is a disruptive situation that goes on, and the consequence is always unwelcome: you didn't hear, didn't sleep, couldn't concentrate. The form complements -는 바람에, which rather describes a sudden, one-off cause.

"With all the…" with -는 통에

[Disruptive situation]-는 통에 [Unwelcome consequence]

The verb always stays in -는, even when the sentence is in the past: 떠드는 통에 못 들었어요. The situation is noisy, hectic, intrusive: people talking, pushing, calling, building work, crying. The consequence, most often in the past, is a hindrance or a loss: 못 들었어요, 잠을 설쳤어요, 넘어질 뻔했어요. It is used neither for a positive cause nor before an order or a suggestion.

아이들이 떠드는 통에 전화 소리를 못 들었어요.
→ With the children making such a racket, I didn't hear the phone.

옆집에서 공사하는 통에 잠을 설쳤어요.
→ With the building work next door, I slept badly.

사람들이 밀치는 통에 넘어질 뻔했어요.
→ With people shoving, I almost fell over.

친구가 자꾸 말을 시키는 통에 집중을 못 했어요.
→ With my friend constantly talking to me, I couldn't concentrate.

-는 통에 and -는 바람에

After a noun: [Noun] 통에

Exercises

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