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I have this sentence as an example for the grammar point をもって:

I国が起こした戦争は、世界中に衝撃をもって伝えられた。

をもって　can either refer to [1] the means through which something is done, or [2] a point in time where something ends/begins.

I'm not really sure which usage this is. As far as I can figure out, it's either something like [1] "The world found out about the war in Country X with a shock/suddenly", or [2] "When the war broke out suddenly (with a crash/bang) in Country X, the world found out about it."

Or, more likely, none of the above. Can someone shed some light on what I'm missing?

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  • How about "When Country X started the war, the world found out about it with a shock" as a translation? Or, "The war started by Country X was reported around the world with shock"? This Japanese dictionary shows 5 meanings of もって（以て）. weblio.jp/content/%E4%BB%A5%E3%81%A6
    – Gradius
    Jun 20, 2012 at 20:31
  • @Gradius, yeah those were poor translations, I was more trying to nail down the actual meaning. I'll take it you think it's the former meaning [1]?
    – silvermaple
    Jun 20, 2012 at 21:11
  • It's similar to [1]. However, obviously it's not a "means" but rather a status or circumstance. I think the explanation in the textbook or dictionary you are using cannot be applied exactly in this case.
    – Gradius
    Jun 21, 2012 at 10:49

1 Answer 1

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I think it means something like:

I国が起こした戦争は、世界中に衝撃をもって伝えられた。
The war which country I initiated was conveyed to the world with a shock.
The world was taken aback when told of the war which country I initiated.

According to this oshiete question, 衝撃をもって has the same meaning as 衝撃と共に and 衝撃を伴って, or "together with shock"/"accompanied by shock".

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