What does 'よ' do when placed after a single noun like '今'?
今よ
Would it be considered a question, like "Now?" ?
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1Is there any additional context? Is it part of a sentence, or is that the whole thing?– user1478Jul 23, 2013 at 8:01
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I think it means Now.– oldergodJul 23, 2013 at 8:03
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@snailboat I found it by itself. Unfortunately no context..– JamesJul 23, 2013 at 8:25
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1Context (perhaps we should say situation or circumstances) is more than the preceding and following sentence - where did you find it?– blutorangeJul 23, 2013 at 12:59
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2@blutorange On a post-it, left on a table in a library.– JamesJul 23, 2013 at 13:00
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3 Answers
As for the meaning, it means just what よ always does as a sentence-final particle... it emphasizes the sentence is intended to convey information to the listener.
More important though is the fact that it is a sentence-final particle.
For some reason, the interjection Now!, said when you want someone to take a (prearranged, mutually agreed) action right at that moment, doesn't seem to work in Japanese with just the noun 今. It needs to be a sentence like 今だ ("[It, the time to act] is now"). A sentence-final particle achieves that.
The use of よ here in 今よ is another way to make 今 into a sentence, and which compared to 今だ or 今だよ has more of a feminine feel due to the dropping of だ.
(Here we start getting into role language and the difference in usage of だ and よ between genders in real life and fiction.)
Wiktionary:
口語の終助詞。主体の意志・知識を主張する。だ あるいは です を省略してよを付けるのは、女性に使われる が、現在では少ない (at least in real life --Hyper)。
- もうやめようよ。
- それは私のものよ。(女性的。現在では男女ともに「それは私のものだよ。」)
answered Jul 23, 2013 at 13:06
What does 'よ' do when placed after a single noun like '今'?
There is a usage which answers this question that is really different than the answer you were probably expecting (and certainly this example), but I will answer it anyway.
It is the 呼び掛け usage, meant to call someone's/something's attention to what you're saying. It translates to "Oh (you) 〜", or "Hey 〜" and usually accompanies a request or command
- 神様よ、私の願いをかなえたまえ！ → O God, please answer my prayer!
- 迫害された人々よ、立ち上がって戦おう！ → (Hey) you oppressed people, stand up and fight!
- 雲よ、雨を降らせ！ → (Hey/O) Clouds, make it rain!
- 田中君よ、手をかしてくれないか → Hey Tanaka, help me out will ya?
Like I said, this doesn't relate to your example of 今よ, but it applies to the way you worded the question.
answered Jul 23, 2013 at 15:11
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3Actually in English the vocative particle is usually spelled as just uppercase 'O': "O God", "O ye of little faith" etc. Jul 23, 2013 at 19:14
「今よ」 is not a question. It's a female way of saying "Now!"
