3

contraction

I've encountered the negative contraction several times since I started to study japanese, and I understand the logic behind the transformation from 開かない/開かぬ　to 開かん in the first picture.

A similar transformation seems to occur in the following two sentences, とならん　and ならん. However, when I check the translation the form of the verbs are positive.

There is something I'm missing and I can't find the key to know the difference between this similar sounding contractions.

|improve this question
  • Where do you "check the translation"? Could you maybe give those translations here? – Earthliŋ♦ Mar 4 '17 at 18:19
  • The pics are from the videogame Final Fantasy Type Zero HD. I do the checking by viewing youtube Let's Play videos from the English version. The official translation of my pictures says as this: - - – Miguel Mar 4 '17 at 19:07
  • 1
    The official translation of my pictures says as this: -"The gate won't open? What the hell is going on?" -"We, the Militesi Empire, will become Agito, the hand that guides Orience!" -"May the path you follow be bright" Respectively. – Miguel Mar 4 '17 at 19:12
3

「ならん」has two distinct meanings. The current common meaning is an abbreviation of ならない・ならぬ with an emphatic nuance. The other is an abbreviation of　「ならむ」which is an obsolete equivalent to だろう・であろう - now mostly found in 時代劇。(Your example is the latter - ならむ)

「あらん」is used in religious and other profound circumstances to pray/wish for something good. Also more likely to find あらん in 時代劇

|improve this answer

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