未然形＋んが grammar?

Question

などと、目をキラッキラと輝かせながら、皆を呑み込まんが如く両手を大きく広げる。

I know the general meaning of the sentence but what is the grammar phenomenon of 未然形＋んが? Is it a fixed structure?

Answer 1

This can be remembered as a literary set phrase, but it's technically a remnant of the grammar of classical Japanese (文語). In modern Japanese, it's 皆を呑み込もうとするかのように両手を大きく広げる.

• 呑み込ま: the 未然形 of 呑み込む
• ん: the 連体形 of the classical volitional/conjecturing auxiliary む. The 連体形 worked as a nominalizer in classic Japanese. よう(とすること) in modern Japanese.
• が: the archaic possessive particle. の in modern Japanese.
• 如く: the 連用形 of the classical adjective-like auxiliary 如し. ように in modern Japanese.

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