What is an emphatic particle?

Question

The explanation I have found says that it is a particle on the end of the sentence. However, in the book I am reading (An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese) it is stated that も is an emphatic particle, the same with さえ.

An emphatic particle which expresses the idea of "even" in non-conditional clauses (or sentences) or the idea of "only" in conditional clauses.

● Notes

1. も as an emphatic marker is an extended use of も1. The following examples show the transition of meaning from the original idea "also" to the emphatic use "even"

   a. グレーさんは非常に難しい漢字も読める。
   Literally: Mr. Gray can read very difficult kanji, too. (Mr. Gray can read even very difficult kanji.)

Also, I have seen comments saying that something is more emphatic than something else, or emphatic statement.

It has been bothering me for a while already and I would like to see an explanation if possible.

Answer 1

I think your confusion comes from the fact that there is more than one way to use particles for an emphatic effect.

Sentence final particles

Sentence final particles よ, ぞ, ぜ, わ and others are sometimes called emphatic particles. They are added to the end of a sentence for an emphatic effect — for example, conveying that you feel strongly about something.

Sentence final particles usually emphasize the statement of the whole sentence.

There are many such particles, although よ is particularly common and versatile. Choosing between such particles will depend on nuance, register, gender, etc. and there are many questions about these:

• In what situations can you use ぞ as a sentence ender
• ぜ at the end of sentence?
• Difference between ぞ and ぜ
• When women use わ at the end of a sentence, is it different from よ?
• わ usage at the end of sentences
• how could a sentence end with (noun + "よ"?)

Also see the tag sentence-final-particles or the individual tags particle-よ, particle-わ, etc.

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Particle も

The particle も can be used to emphasize a particular word within a sentence.

For the emphatic use of も the プログレッシブ和英中辞典 lists following example sentences

3 〔さえ〕

• 猿も木から落ちる
  Even monkeys fall from trees occasionally.／Even an expert makes mistakes.／(Even) Homer sometimes nods.

• 彼はありがとうも言わずにそれを取った
  He took it without so much as saying thank you.

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5 〔強調〕

• この品物は1万円もした
  This (article) cost no less than [all of] 10,000 yen.

• 彼はそれを完成するのに10年もかかった
  It took him ten long years to complete it.

• 10人もの人が皆同じ間違いをした
  All ten people made the same mistake.

• この村の者は一人も知らない
  I don't know a single one of the villagers.

• 冗談もいいところだ
  You are carrying your joke too far.

• こうも暑いとぐったりしてしまう
  When it's as hot as this, I feel listless.

• そんなことをするとは非常識もはなはだしい
  It was simply too thoughtless of him to do such a thing.
• 今まで黙っているなんて君も君だよ
  Why didn't you let me know earlier? I'm surprised at you.／How could you not have told me?

• 歌いも歌ったり，その数は50曲に及んだ
  We sang and sang until we had finished fifty songs.

• 3時間も待った
  I waited for a good three hours.

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Particle さえ

Similarly, the particle さえ can be used for an emphatic effect. Again, the プログレッシブ和英中辞典 lists the following example sentences

1 〔さらに〕

• 雨さえ降ってきた
  On top of that [everything], it began to rain.

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2 〔…ですら〕even

• 彼さえ知らないのだからだれも知らないだろう
  If even he doesn't know, then nobody does.
• ABCさえ書けない
  He can't even write the alphabet.／He cannot so much as write the alphabet.
• 1滴の水さえない
  There is not a drop of water (to be had [found]).
• 彼は兄弟にさえ裏切られた
  He was betrayed even by his own brothers.

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3 〔そのことだけで十分〕

• もっと勉強しさえすれば試験に合格できたのに
  If only you had studied harder, you could have passed the examination. これさえあれば十分だ This is all I need.

Also see

• さえ how to use it

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Contrastive particle は

The particle は can also be used for contrast/emphasis. See for example

• What's the difference between wa (は) and ga (が)?

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Combining "emphatic particles"

Of course there is no reason you cannot combine sentence final particles and emphatic も or さえ — just pick any of the above example sentences and add an "emphatic" sentence final particle.

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Other expressions used for emphasis

On top of that, there are other words or expressions used for emphasis. For example

• Usage of なんて and なんか as emphasis
• Usage of nan desu?