Questions tagged [parsing]
構文解析. Questions about understanding how a phrase / sentence / utterance is put together, what its components are.
222
questions
4
votes
1answer
142 views
Understanding XにYを頼む
委員会は橋本聖子さんに会長を頼むことを決めて ...
The committee decided to ask Hashimoto to become president
I found this phrase a bit confusing. Both verbs in this sentence can take both に and を at the same time. I think ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
Parsing and meaning of a song verse
I'm trying to understand the opening of an anime song, but I'm stumped on a couple of parts by (I think) a similar doubt; this is the lyrics.
Here's what I don't understand:
夢を持ってきた
言葉じゃ足りないユメのアリカ
...
1
vote
1answer
109 views
meaning of その姿に
I would like to know the meaning of その姿に in the sentence
Context: the character is genuinely impressed by her friend's determination at persisting in a way that seems to be a dead end.
素晴らしいわ！その、...
4
votes
1answer
82 views
The meaning of しきり after a noun
I recently came across this sentence:
耳打ちするようにしながらもしっかり声が届くように言うホロに苦笑いしきりだが、ノーラが無防備にうなずいたことにはちょっと傷ついた。
I thought at first that しきり might be しきる, as in "do to completion", but then it would ...
2
votes
1answer
191 views
What does “ni sou” mean in ごく自然にそうなる
When I Google translate the sentence it says "it will happen very naturally".
If I break down the sentence into parts:
Goku: very (adverb)
Shizen: naturally (adverb)
Ni sou: ???
Naru: to ...
3
votes
1answer
210 views
Translating a sentence with までだ
Yesterday, I read a passage from Shin Kanzen Master N1:
As I was reviewing it today, I remembered that それまでだ is an expression which means "that's the end" or something to that effect. That ...
4
votes
1answer
148 views
Literal meaning and parsing of 軽音部とかけて双六と解く
I am watching けいおん！ and in the Episode 17 「部室がない！」the club is trying to find a room for rehearsals.
After not finding a suitable room Yui says:
「軽音部{けいおんぶ}とかけて双六{すごろく}と解{と}く」
In response she is asked ...
2
votes
1answer
105 views
Is どんなことでも失敗したら a whole clause or two separate clauses?
Is the sentence どんなことでも失敗したら、人のせいにしてはなりません。read as:
[どんなことでも][失敗したら]、人のせいにしてはなりません。
= [No matter what][if you fail], don't blame people.
or
[どんなことでも失敗したら]、人のせいにしてはなりません。
= [No matter how you fail], ...
0
votes
1answer
111 views
Which translation is closer to the original Japanese?
I'm curious as to whether or not I did a good job with my own stay-as-close-to-the-Japanese-as-possible translation of the following two lines, seeing as how google translate only gave me either ...
2
votes
0answers
68 views
する -verbs perception by native speakers
I wonder how the (common) Noun+する verbs, e.g. 勉強する, are perceived by native speakers, especially children before the start of the formal education.
In the manner similar to English "to do ...
0
votes
0answers
57 views
Logical/Historical evolution of てしょうがない・てしかたがない・てならない to mean て堪らない
Why do てしょうがない・てしかたがない・てならない mean て堪らない?
I read this thread:
Why does 「でならない」 not mean “does not become”?
and still wonder what is the logic behind て堪らない='can't help but/extremely' meaning.
0
votes
2answers
192 views
Why can't まちがいなく失敗 mean 'a zero-mistakes失敗'?
失敗するのを気にしたら、まちがいなく失敗してしまう。
=If we think of failure, we will certainly fail.
When I read the example the first time, thinking it's a proverb, I interpreted it like:
If you mind failure, you will fall ...
1
vote
1answer
59 views
Problem with understanding the action of いる in 決まった場所にいる代わりに
In a recent article 仕事で外国に行く前にＰＣＲ検査の予約ができるようにする from NHK Easy Japanese I found this sentence, (which I give here in a bit abbreviated form):
[...]着いてからしばらくの間、決まった場所にいる代わりに、PCR検査で[...]...
3
votes
1answer
128 views
Can (Aともかく,B.) be always understood as (Do do you know about A? B.)?
漢字を読むことはともかく、書くことは苦手だ。
I can't even write, let alone read Kanji.
Regardless whether i can read Kanji or not, I can't write it.
Which translation is correct, 1) or 2)?
The speaker Confirms their ...
2
votes
1answer
201 views
Parsing a sentence with の and に missing(?)
I saw this tweet earlier today. I find it difficult to understand the underlined portion. This is the first time I saw 目指すよう without に or な following it. The same goes with 近く. It looks like an adverb,...
2
votes
1answer
98 views
modifying a noun
Example sentence to illustrate the question:
抑えられない幸せにしたい気持ち can either be understood as (抑えられない幸せ)にしたい気持ち or (抑えられない幸せにしたい)気持ち
Is there a way to disambiguate what the speaker is trying to imply? In ...
1
vote
1answer
84 views
Please help me to deconstruct the grammar of this relative clause: この法律に違反する可能性がある政治の団体が活動をやめています。
This is an excerpt from an NHK easy article talking about the new law passed in Hong Kong:
この法律に違反する可能性がある政治の団体が活動をやめています。
この法律に this law
違反する可能性がある政治の団体が活動 activities (by?) government groups (...
2
votes
1answer
95 views
Can this sentence be interpreted in more than one way?
I read a sentence
彼女はわかっていた。あるいは、わかっていると思っていた。
It was translated as "She knew, or she thought she knew/knows."
Prior to seeing this translation, in my head, I interpreted it as "I knew her, or ...
1
vote
1answer
83 views
Reading of 上 in the sentence:じょう or うえ [duplicate]
I was reading the news when I saw the sentence with 上で (see the sentence with highlight).
I was thinking if it should be read as うえ or じょう。I am inclined to read this as じょう because it doesn't fit ...
0
votes
1answer
76 views
Can you omit the action when using と and help understanding/parsing this sentence
『監視されているみたいだ』と不評の声も多い見回りだけど, 案外さっきみたいな事柄のためにやっているのかもしれないな。
The complete sentence is given above. As the title has said, can you omit the action when using と? From some sentences I've seen, an action ...
2
votes
0answers
81 views
様子見くらい いいっしょ? I can't make sense out of it [duplicate]
Mother:当分ここに住むから｡
Son:えっ!? 何だよそれ｡
Mother:カワイイ一人息子が頭 打ったんだ｡
Mother:様子見くらい いいっしょ｡
Here's the question: What does 様子見くらいいいっしょ｡ mean?
様子見 = wait-and-see
くらい = about?around? dunno
いいっしょ = it's good, isn't ...
3
votes
2answers
108 views
習う学習 translation
肝心な2年生で習う学習範囲は、1年生の時よりも当然難易度が上がっている。
習う: to take lessons in; to be taught; to learn (from a teacher); to study (under a teacher); to get training in.
学習: study; learning; tutorial.
I am confused ...
3
votes
1answer
73 views
メアリーがアメリカに帰って悲【かな】しいです meaning
This is an example て-form sentence from bunpro where the translation is "Mary returned to the USA and I am sad."
I'm wondering if this could also mean "Mary returned to the USA and she is sad" as ...
0
votes
3answers
163 views
What does もえと mean?
I was reading a Tofugu article, https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/da-vs-desu-in-real-life/, and one of the examples they give was this text conversation.
I'm just curious what 私｛わたし｝ももえと could mean. My ...
1
vote
1answer
195 views
Meaning of the phase: 筋ってもん
I'm having a bit of trouble getting a grasp of 筋ってもん (sujitte mon) and what it's supposed to convey. Does it possibly have kind of declarative function for whatever precedes it?
Examples include:
...
1
vote
1answer
425 views
Can someone explain the usage of Verb+り in these sentences please
I previously practice reading beginner’s japanese book and was surprised by this verb form, the verb+り. Can someone please help explain about its usage or where I can study more about this form of ...
1
vote
1answer
109 views
What is the meaning of 取り戻そうと in this sentence?
In the following sentence:
問題を無視することはできません。しかし、
問題にばかり注目していると過去の状態を取り戻そうと努力することになります
The part where it says: 「取り戻そうと努力することになります」 more specifically that "そうと" where does it come from?
What's the ...
5
votes
1answer
411 views
What part does 「成」 play when tailed to a word?
So I recently came across a song called 「未完成」 by Leo Ieiri.
I know 未完 means "Incomplete" or "Unfinished". I'm interested in knowing what that 「成」 represents when used after 「未完」 and what are other ...
6
votes
2answers
252 views
Is 誰か行きたい人 a form of double-headed relative clause?
I came across the phrase "誰か行きたい人" in this thread and I think it would be used in a context like
"誰か行きたい人がいるか？".
However I am kind of confused by how it works grammatically.
Is 誰か行きたい a relative ...
2
votes
1answer
217 views
Strange use of 終わる
やっとお許しが出て、物置から出してもらった時には、もう夏休みが始まっていた。
When he was finally forgiven and allowed to come out of his cupboard the summer holidays had already begun.
ダドリーは、買ってもらったばかりの８ミリカメラをとっくに壊し、ラジコン飛行機も墜落させ、おまけに、...
0
votes
1answer
98 views
Action of ではない on sentence part
I found on NHK easy Japanese a puzzling sentence:
アメリカのトランプ大統領は、戦争をするために殺したのではないと言っています。
My problem is with
戦争をするために殺したのではない
My first attempt at translation would use mentally parenthesis as shown ...
7
votes
1answer
179 views
Usage of 全部束 and かなう
同級生の男の子を全部束にしてもかなわないほど頻繁にハリーは散髪させられたが、...
Harry was made to get a haircut so often that even if you made the boys in his class into a complete bundle it would not rival it
The meaning is clear (I ...
1
vote
1answer
162 views
I-adjective in く form modifies a noun/adverb
In the song 宝物 by WANIMA, the chorus goes:
思いにまかせて
感じるまま描いて
まだ見えない明日へ
誰にも止められない
今この瞬間が紛れもなく全て。
紛れもない is in く form, which means it's modifiying a verb. However, 全て is nowhere near a verb, but might ...
0
votes
1answer
110 views
Whats the name of this izakaya? [closed]
everyone I was in an awsome izakaya in Osaka but wasnt able to figure out the name of it and stuff like it is private owned or of a chain.
Below is a picture of its front (google translate etc. cant ...
1
vote
1answer
119 views
How to parse the following から and is the もとで a noun?
The following sentence appears on a page in my book:
悪夢から一夜明け、アインのもとで訓練を重ねる日々が始まった。
I think the above から has the meaning of "after"; but the suspicious possibility of the から being a questioning か ...
1
vote
1answer
402 views
いけません in the short form
I understand that the dictionary definition of the expression いけません is "must not do", and that it can be used in conjunction with say なきゃ in a sentence such as the following:
試験があるから、勉強しなきゃいけません。
I ...
1
vote
1answer
107 views
interpretting 人となりのわかるような事
確かに彼女は、ただ一緒にいるというだけで、人となりのわかるような事を話すとも思えない。
wonder how i should approach this
[人となり(の/が)わかる]ような事
can 人となり itself わかる something?
or
[人となり]の[わかるような事]
Either way it is an awkward read
thank you
6
votes
2answers
285 views
Is 私 in 私が我慢ならず object or subject?
I found this sentence:
食事の時しか顔を合わせることもなかったし、互いに口を開いて声を出すこともなかった。映画をよく見に行くぐらいのことしかしない高校生だったのだが、母から見れば俗世に気持を奪われている私が我慢ならず、たまに憤怒の言葉を投げつけてきたが、そうすると私は、十八になったらすぐに家を出て行くんだ、と母に言い返していた
which is translated:
...
3
votes
2answers
511 views
Is this an error…?
I came across the following in a book I'm reading but have ever seen that kind of grammar before, and Google isn't bringing anything up at all:
固くしてみあ
I'm beginning to think it's a print error.
If ...
3
votes
1answer
129 views
6
votes
1answer
328 views
Can adverbs modify adjectives?
For instance：
昔の日本は身分の差が大きく厳しい上下関係があります。
Is 大きく modifying 厳しい? But the way I understand this sentence is in ancient Japan, there were large social divides and strict social hierarchy, which is in ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views
interpreting ～とどちらが上というものでもなく
王の身辺警護は基本的に親衛隊が行っている。
これは騎士団とどちらが上というものでもなく、単純に役割を分担している。
ただし王の護衛という重要な役目であり、当然ながら構成する騎士は選りすぐりのエリートばかりだ。
The King's personal security is basically done by his elite bodyguards
...
1
vote
1answer
45 views
会社での出来事を引きずったままだった私 passivity
speaker doesn't want to trouble her only family member, A, with her tough day at work. A however, does notice something wrong.
会社での出来事を引きずったままだった私の様子がおかしいと、Aは気付いたようだった。
I find this statement is ...
2
votes
1answer
121 views
Given the context, what is the correct way to parse this sentence segment 次に訊くべき言葉が出てこない。?
この寒さをしのげそうな防寒服を手渡され、それを着込みながら僕は彼女に質問した。
「君は……」
[名前なら、ないわ]
こちらから訊くより先に、低く呟くような声が返ってきた。
「呼びにくければアインと呼んで。
いつもそう呼ばれてたから」
質問の出鼻をくじかれ、次に訊くべき言葉が出てこない。
My western brain doesn't ...
3
votes
2answers
803 views
The use of かります in a sentence
This is the sentence I'm having troubles with:
シェリーちゃんが助かりますよーに!
I know that シェリーちゃん is Sherry-chan and,
助 is help/rescue/assist. The only part I want to know about is the かりますよーに。I have been ...
2
votes
1answer
124 views
What are the adverb + 何 +を doing in the following sentence?
In this book I'm translating, the narrative character is told the following line of dialogue by a girl before the sentence I'm asking about (bolded below).
「あなたには、生まれついての才能があるのよ
人を殺す才能。
生き残る才能。
...
3
votes
1answer
119 views
What is the difference in meaning between「この自然が多い町」and 「自然が多いこの町」?
Please, see this related question for more context.
Thank you very much.
1
vote
2answers
153 views
Is it possible to join directly い-adj + この + noun?
I came across this multiple choice sentence within my homework exercises:
I assume that the correct answer is 気に入った. However, the この demonstrative seems out of place to me. I would rather use just ...
7
votes
2answers
242 views
Head-internal relative clauses
I am trying to figure out head-internal relative clauses. A paper I looked at presented two versions of the same sentence, one with the head word (りんご) outside the relative clause:
[皿の上にあった]...
2
votes
2answers
120 views
placement of さえ
I came across this statement involving さえ.
私はAKB48が全然分からない。一番有名な人さえ名前がわからない。
My question is: Is there a general rule as to where you can place さえ?
What about: 一番有名な人の名前さえ分からない。What is the meaning ...
