1

This is my understanding:

"どうしようもない" is a complete sentence. (There is nothing that can be done.)
"noun + もない" is the sentence structure.

therefore: "どうしよう" = "noun"

"どうする" is a sentence ending with a verb (ie. not a noun).
Is "どうしよう" a noun? Is it the same part of speech as "どうする"? <--- question #1

If "どうする" = [part of speech] = "どうしょう", then "どうしようもない" is not grammatically correct. A verb cannot be the subject.

So, there are 3 ways to change a verb to noun:
(#1) "する事"
(#2) "する物"
(#3) "するのparticle"

"noun+もない" needs a noun as the subject.
"どうする" surely is the subject in "どうしようもない", but "どうする" is a verb.
so, using method #3, we use a particle to change "どうする" into a noun. The particle is "も".

Therefore, is the phrase "どうしようのもない。" grammatically correct?

Improve this question
2

しょうがない＝しかたない

しょうもない＝くだらない

どうしょうもない＝もうだめだ

They are fixed expressions.

Etymologically, どう＋する＋よう＋も＋ない→どうしようもない→どうしょうもない

よう forms a noun

 よう やう ［1］ 【様】
 動詞の連用形の下に付いて，複合語をつくる。
  ( It's attached to the continuatives/infinitives to form compound nouns.)
 ㋑ しかた，方法などの意を表す。 「言い－」 「やり－」
  ( methods, manners. ways to say, ways to do )

も is sometimes used in some idiomatic negative constructions, e.g.

～しそうもない
～するべくもない
～つもりもない
～はずもない
～しようもない

You can't simply say できそうない/できそうがない/できそうにもない/望むべくない/望むべくがない etc.

It can't be analyzed as a normal noun + も.

Improve this answer
5
  • @shinmai_psb, I added translations for the definition from the dictionary. Although ~よう is technically a noun, it's mainly used in fixed patterns, such as ~ようがない、~ようでは、~ようによって.
    – Yang Muye
    Apr 21 '14 at 13:27
  • I don't have ref pages to back me up, but I think I've heard "よう" used as 形容動詞 such as: "いい加減にして、死亡するような顔をしているもん。" and "日本人のように、彼は日本語ができる。" I have no concept of 連用形、so I am going to need to study that first! thank you.
    – shinmai_psb
    Apr 21 '14 at 15:10
  • Be careful how you apply Western parts of speech to Japanese, anyway--there is certainly no reason a priori why they should line up. See the Japanese wikipedia page on Japanese for information on how grammar is viewed by domestic theorists (academic debate aside, the "school grammar" is pretty informative)
    – bright-star
    Apr 22 '14 at 10:24
  • That last negative construction is actually ようもない, not しようもない. This is a problem for your answer, because しようもない is explainable as the し stem of します combined with this ようもない suffix; though serving as a canned phrase, it is in fact analyzable by this route.
    – Kaz
    May 13 '19 at 21:12
  • Likewise, しそうもない is し combined with the そうもない construction that can be used with other verbs.
    – Kaz
    May 13 '19 at 21:15

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.