I know that もはや+negative verb means "no longer", and しか+negative verb means "only", "nothing but". But seeing them used together, as in the following sentence, got me a little confused.
多くの帯刀者はもはや脅威でしかありません！
Does this translate as:
Many taitosha are no longer only a threat!
or
Many taitosha are only a threat by now!
Thanks for your help!
X でしかない === . . . has the only value (usefulness) of X
帯銃者は, もはや 脅威でしかありません
Gun-carriers are now nothing more than a threat.
Gun-carriers now constitute nothing more than a threat.
Gun-carriers now don't mean [ anything other than a threat ].
A gun-carrier now represents [ nothing but a threat ].
A gun-carrier now doesn't represent [ anything but a dangerous threat ].
I know that もはや+negative verb means "no longer",
Yes, that's right.
もはや doesn't have the meaning of NOT built into it.
もはや means that [something that was true] is not true (no longer true) after time T.
[something that was true] == carrying guns around (on one's person) had some value to society.
But this explanation doesn't match the following definitions completely. Or maybe it does.
dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/220077/meaning/m0u/
もはや【最早】とは。［副］
ある事態が実現しようとしているさま。早くも。まさに。「―今年も暮れようとしている」
ある事態が変えられない ところ まで進んでいるさま。今となっては。もう。「―如何ともしがたい」「―これまで」
i wanted to add that ... (for the 2nd sense just above) it seems that もはや is used only when there is a negation (in the text) or there is a negative sense (to describe the current state).
もはや自由な時代になったんだよ is uncommon or impossible.
今や自由な時代になったんだよ is much better.
This sentence means "Many taitosha are nothing more than a treat". It's confusing because "しかありません" becomes affirmative when translated on western languages, but it's still a negative in the sense of Japanese grammar.
多くの帯刀者はもはや脅威でしかありません！
With so many swordsmen out there now, it is impossible not to consider them a threat!
