2

専売特許に違背せる物品　infringements on patents

和英字書を編集せるはヘボン博士をもって嚆矢とす。Dr. Hepburn was the first to compile a Japanese-English dictionary.

Is it する・す mizenkei followed by り rentaikei (here), or something else?

Improve this question
1
  • Where did you get these sentences?
    – Askar
    Commented Sep 24, 2015 at 5:50

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

Yes, they're the 未然形 of す, followed by the 連体形 of the so-called 完了の「り」 in 文語. (It has nothing to do with the causative auxiliary verb せる used today.)

In modern Japanese 口語,

  • 専売特許に違背せる物品 ≒ 専売特許に違反した物品
  • 和英字書を編集せるは… ≒ 和英辞書を編集したのは…

Also see this chiebukuro Q&A.

Improve this answer
2
  • Is this usage still contemporary in academic writing or no? I saw lots of this while I was reading 西田幾多郎全集.
    – virmaior
    Commented Sep 24, 2015 at 6:59
  • @virmaior No, 文語 is not actively used after WWII.
    – naruto
    Commented Sep 24, 2015 at 13:51

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .