This aphorism was on posted on the wall of the staff room, not far from my desk. I decided to figure it out.
훌륭한 학생이라 믿어주면
be-brilliant-PASTPART student-be-[?] believe-give-COND
그들은 그것을 증명해준다
that-PL-TOPIC that-thing-OBJ confirm-give-PRES
When you believe your students are brilliant they comfirm it.
I have no idea how the -이라 ending on the first clause’s be-verb (copula) works, but I’ve always had the impression the copula forms with -ㄹ- are a sort of residual subjunctive that doesn’t appear in any other forms, in which case it makes sense. I’m sure it has some specific grammatical name, but I don’t know what it is.
Anyway it’s a pretty good aphorism to see on the wall of a school staff room.
[daily log: walking, 6.5 km]