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守ってもらいたいわけでもないのに、なぜこんなにもこの場所を離れがたく思うのだろう.

What does "gataku" mean in this sentence? I don't know if this is some kind of suffix or grammar point I'm unfamiliar with?

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がたい is close to にくい and comes after the masu-stem of a verb, meaning "difficult to do something"

From デジタル大辞泉(小学館)

難い(がたい)
[接尾]《形容詞型活用[文]がた・し(ク活)。形容詞「かた(難)い」の濁音化》動詞の連用形に付いて、その動作の実現が困難であることを表す。…しにくい。…するのがむずかしい。「得―・い」「信じ―・い」「いわく言い―・い」

I believe it's in JLPT grammar:

[意味]
〜するのが難しい。
「能力的にできない」ということには使わない。

[英訳]
"difficult to do"
*Not used to mean something can't be done because of lack of ability.

  • 離れる → 離れ ます → 離れがたい → 離れがたく(連用形) → 離れがたく思う

離れがたい: difficult to leave

離れがたく思う: reluctant to part/leave

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    @Lokitan - You have been using this がたい without knowing it. ありがとう is derived from 有りがたく.
    – aguijonazo
    Dec 27, 2021 at 23:29
  • What exactly are the derivation steps there? Dec 28, 2021 at 8:01
  • @KarlKnechtel Could you be a bit more specific? Which steps would you like me to expand on? I thought the arrow-linked line was clear. If not, please let me know.
    – Eddie Kal
    Dec 29, 2021 at 17:19
  • I mean between 有りがたく and ありがとう. Dec 29, 2021 at 21:51
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