Questions tagged [parsing]
構文解析. Questions about understanding how a phrase / sentence / utterance is put together, what its components are.
228
questions
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
154 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
126 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
232 views
I need some help understanding the grammar of しのげそうな in この寒さをしのげそうな防寒服を手渡され
I can understand the gist of what the below sentence is saying; but the part in the first section that's only hiragana (bolded part) is confusing me.
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。
I ...
1
vote
1answer
233 views
１０００万の妹好きを… in this sentence
MC's sister wakes him up.
mc「なに……してるんだ？」
sister「先に目が覚めたから、お兄ちゃんの寝顔を見つめていたの……♪」
全国１０００万の妹好きを下僕に出来るだろう、笑顔と台詞が返ってくる。
..., i reply with a smile.
i an assume this is saying in a roundabout ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
How to break 信じようとしていただけかも知れない into separate parts?
I tried, but I came up with either:
信じる(~よう(vol.)) + とする(~ていた(prog. past)) + だけ + かもしれない。
信じよう + として + いただける(stem) + かもしれない。
I highly doubt that second one is true, because かもしれない "takes" dictionary ...
4
votes
1answer
108 views
What does 微温い mean in this context?
I read a line in a book where the speaker is berating another party.
悪く言われてるのは、誰のせいだと思ってやがる。お前が微温いこと言ってるからだろうが
I can't figure out the appropriate way to parse this without understanding the ...
1
vote
1answer
89 views
How do I parse this sentence using という話?
My question is about how to correctly parse the second line in the below.
「しかし廃棄迷宮ですか……いろんなものを捨てていたら最後には溢れちゃいそうです」
「廃棄迷宮に果てはなく、一説には異次元に繋がっているという話もあるくらいだぞ」
「話が真実だとするとゴミ問題の類は全て解決するんだけどな」
I ...
3
votes
1answer
284 views
What does おとこえしや mean?
This is a sentence from 『風の又三郎』 by 宮沢賢治.
ところがその跡のようなものは、まだ百歩も行かないうちに、おとこえしや、すてきに背の高いあざみの中で、二つにも三つにも分かれてしまって、どれがどれやらいっこうわからなくなってしまいました。
My question is, what does おとこえしや mean?
2
votes
1answer
135 views
Can verbs simutaniously use the volitional form and negative form? [closed]
I came across the following sentence in a book:
身体を起こし、手足がこれといった支障もなく動くのを確かめた。
and searched on Jisho.org for 障もなく. It sent me to https://jisho.org/search/障む, saying that "障もなく is the negative ...
4
votes
1answer
133 views
Combination of causative-passive and intransive verb with a direct object?
I am struggling to understand this sentence’s structure:
宿題を時間内に終わらせられなかった。
I think I get the idea of causative-passive as in “I was being made to finish the homework”. However, I noticed that we ...
2
votes
2answers
195 views
Past tense …でする vs. past tense copula です confusion
Maybe this is a stupid question, because very likely it is possible for advanced learners to distuiguish this. However, in the present tense ...でする (particle で) and ...です (copula) are distinct, while ...
2
votes
1answer
133 views
Is 黙って言うこと a set phrase?
I've read today the sentence:
お母さんにどなられても，しかられても，羊のように黙って言うことを聞きました。
The part I understand says that even if she was screamed at or scolded by the mother, like a sheep...
Now, I can't find a ...
5
votes
1answer
139 views
What does 囚えよう mean in this book?
I'm currently reading a screenplay regarding to Oda Nobunaga.
In one of the character line, it is written that
あなたは死して尚、この僕を囚えようというのですか？
Base on my search, it seems that the kanji 囚 is associated ...
2
votes
1answer
80 views
など無いも同然だった in this scene
narrator depicting a defloration scene
深々と肉棒の打ち込まれたAの股間からは、彼女がついさっきまで純潔だった事を示す赤い血が、傷口からあふれ出して太ももにまで垂れていた。
しかし、Aの感じている痛みは、外からも見える傷口だけではない。むしろ苦痛という点では、処女膜が裂けた痛みなど無いも同然だった。
However, the pain ...
3
votes
1answer
65 views
Word-order with の- and に- particles
I have this part of a sentence
影{かげ}の次第{しだい}に濃{こ}く集{あつ}まる部分{ぶぶん}に
along with its translation:
"in the part where the shadows gradually gathered and thickened"
which makes contextual sense, but ...
4
votes
1answer
151 views
Parsing the sentence 書く人物の顔が頭に入っていないと効果はない
This sentence is from Death Note, specifically on how to use it.
This sentence is written in-universe using English. It states, “This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person’s ...
1
vote
2answers
165 views
What does「ごとが」mean?
Is this (the phrase/word ごとが) a grammar point or vocabulary? I tried to look it up in Takoboto dictionary but it doesn't return a specific word.
Also, if the phrase/word 「ごとが」 is a grammar point. How ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
魅力的って言われてもお前だって困る in this context
girl「まさかお前っ……こ、こここの胸が私の魅力だと言いたいのか！？」
mc「誰もそんなこと言ってないだろ！？」
girl「…………」
mc「ああ違う、魅力的じゃないとも言ってない！ いやすごい！ お前の胸はすごいよ！」
mc「でもそんなの魅力的って言われてもお前だって困るだろ！？」
uh no, i'm not saying that your ...
2
votes
1answer
65 views
interpretting お前を倒さずして、消滅などできん！
enemy returns a while after being defeated by the mc
mc「ど、どうしてあなたが……！ この間滅したはずなのに……！？」
enemy「お前を倒さずして、消滅などできん！」
enemy charges....
i will "do it" without beating you, i can't extinguish ...
4
votes
1answer
165 views
who 己 is indicating in this sentence
The person the speaker is talking to previously warned of disaster if the the speaker didn't do something, but the speaker did not want to break traditions and did not interfere. That person shows up ...
2
votes
1answer
83 views
unamed subject in this conversation and use of ~のに… in this sentence
gossip among unnamed students while being made to run laps, about a time when the ゴリ男 gym teacher got really angry at something.Reader does not anything about what had happened.
「これって、...
1
vote
1answer
84 views
Grammatic relationships inside a sentence - parsing
once again I need again your help:
I have this sentence and also its translation (same auther/text as here) :
まだどこにも兆{きざ}していない死苦{しく}が、感覚{かんかく}を灼{や}けた鉄{てつ}のように真赤{まっか}に鍛{きた}えてくれるのを感{かん}じた。
I think I ...
5
votes
1answer
122 views
Trouble with a small excerpt from Tanizaki's Himitsu
I'm having some trouble understanding the following excerpt (from Tanizaki's Himitsu):
甘い匂いのひやひやとした露が、毛穴へ染み入る皮膚のよろこびは格別であった
"The sweet scented and chilly dew" does what? "the delight of the skin ...
1
vote
2answers
145 views
use of ほどには and くらいには in this sentence
context is some bad guys talking to an arrogant rich girl that they kidnapped. Included extra context, not sure if needed.
girl 「調子に乗って……！ こんなの、今だけなんだからね……！ あんたたちみたいなウジ虫は、社会の落伍者は、ろくなこともしないで、...
2
votes
1answer
103 views
Interpreting ~が言う方が in this sentence among other things
A is a guy and B is a girl. b is trying to set up A with another girl. Neither A or B's social life is that clear yet but A is somewhat of a mood maker.
男の、しかも女子の間でちょっと可愛いと密かに人気のあるAが言う方が、...
2
votes
1answer
69 views
In AてBてもらう does もらう operate on A and B?
Regarding stickers put on apples to make pictures:
シールを作った会社が毎年、農家の人にお願いしてこのりんごを作ってもらっています。
Every year the company that makes these stickers receives requests from farmers and receives the apples ...
2
votes
1answer
160 views
use of ときては in this sentence
context is about drugging someone up to get them to more lively again for sexual purposes
やがて反応が磨耗し、クスリを用いて復調したと思ったら明後日の方向に電波を飛ばしまくりときては、単に溜まったから排泄するという感覚の方が近くなる。
before long her responses became ...
2
votes
1answer
103 views
unclear designation of それ in this passage
Like to get some opinions about this passage, speaker is in a situation where only he has a gun (kept in secret so far), but might be forced to reveal his hand soon. Has to deal with the 不良 sooner or ...
1
vote
1answer
93 views
Sentence structure of 戦争で敵兵になぶりものにされて殺されたんだ
「うーん、君が納得する話が出来るかどうか。そうだね、例えば……」
「僕は両親の顔も知らない。戦争で敵兵になぶりものにされて殺されたんだ」
「それで、叔父に引き取られたんだけどさ。...
In this hypothetical, the parents are killed in war but the bolded section is unintuitive to ...
4
votes
2answers
188 views
“nounをnoun(verb stem)” expressions: ie 基準を流れ, 戸惑いを表れ etc
後には、その基準を流れのあるものととらえ、一緒に進む一続きの行動を表す文が来る。(part of explanation for ～に沿って)
俺のとまどいを不安の表れと思ったのか、そんなふうに声をかけて、彼女は教室を出て行った。
I've treated the を in these sentences as の. How is を used here, and what is ...
2
votes
1answer
95 views
Parsing in this sentence, subject incongruity
我々(us angels)はアマツ様の教えを順守して行動する。でも人はちがう。アマツ様の教えを我欲がしのぎ、憎み、欺き、決して足りず争いを繰り返す。
amatsu-sama's teachings are usurped by selfishness, hatred, deceit, (??) isn't sufficient, the fighting repeats endlessly.
...
3
votes
2answers
116 views
use 味の感想も聞けるしな and 作りがいがある in this sentence
ここでは毎日味の感想も聞けるしな。特にアリスは、どんなメシでも笑顔で食べるから作りがいがある。
mc that does all the cooking, talks about cooking while cooking
Maybe it's because everyday i get feedback about my cooking from all of you. ...
3
votes
2answers
124 views
ながらも followed up by のに
恥ずかしそうに戸惑いながらも、彼女は快楽の波を声に出して逃すのに忙しそうだ。
Though she is bewildered in shame, (and though??) her waves of pleasure escape in her voice, she seems flustered.
i'm not sure if this is only because using ...
5
votes
2answers
311 views
Meaning of ほうなんで?
It is a "simple" sentence, but I can't find any information how I should parse and interpret this part.
これでも用心深いほうなんでね。
3
votes
2answers
127 views
To what extent can a noun be used as an adverb?
彼女の細い指先を、舌がぬらりと踊ると、明かりに反射した光がうっすらと手に貼りついた。
Once her tongue slid around in a dance, she gently stuck the the "明かりに反射した光" (spit?) onto her hand using her slim fingers.
(normally there isn't ...
5
votes
3answers
236 views
Meaning of 日本をはじめ and the mystery of the missing particle
日本をはじめ世界中の登山家の間で人気が高いアルプス山脈の最高峰モンブランで、...
Where I normally put my translation attempt
I understand this bit:
世界中の登山家の間で人気が高いアルプス山脈の最高峰モンブラン
The Alps' highest peak, Mont Blanc, which has high ...
2
votes
2answers
139 views
Can two clauses joined by masu-stem form have an reason-action relationship?
新しい駅は、品川駅と田町駅の間にある車両基地の一部を縮小し建設が進められていて、山手線と京浜東北線の列車が停車する計画です。
The new station will reduce part of the rail yard between the Shinagawa and Tamachi stations and 建設が進められていて and it is planned that ...
5
votes
1answer
175 views
What does the double use of “殺せる” mean here?
Context: The speaker is talking to his friend who was surprise attacked by an enemy despite this enemy being the speaker's acquaintance from bygone days, his friend asks him for an explanation as to ...
2
votes
1answer
101 views
いかに～かどうか structure in this sentence
就職先を失敗して学んだことは、どんな仕事にしろ結局はいかに相手の立場になって物事を考えられるかどうかだと思った。
Speaker talking about a prior job that the speaker quit due to insane hours/low pay
I think that "I learned from failing at my (old) ...
1
vote
1answer
48 views
The correct parsing of 無類 In this sentence
So I'm having a friendly debate with someone over the correct parsing of this sentence:
隆之介のような無類のライトレベルを操る才覚なく
Namely the way 無類 is affecting it.
I'm of the opinion that the correct way to parse ...
3
votes
2answers
146 views
PhraseA-て + phraseB + ために + phrase C
From here:
この行事は、お盆が終わって先祖の霊を送るために行われていて、３００年以上の歴史があると言われています。
This is event is performed to dispatch the souls of the ancestors ??? and is said to have over 300 years of history.
I'm struggling ...
1
vote
2answers
160 views
0
votes
1answer
74 views
logical processing of this lyric
あなたのために綺麗になりたいと願う 好きな人の前では女の子でいたい
For your sake, I want to become a girl that hopes to become pretty in front of the person i love
Does that feel too convoluted to you, or am i parsing this wrong?...
2
votes
1answer
201 views
Which is the verb belonging to the particle を?
recently I stumbled upon a sentence in Yukio Mishima's 憂国{ゆうこく} - "Patriotism". It is BTW part Japanese/English parallel text stories, so I basically know what it intends to say but I simply can't ...
1
vote
1answer
106 views
Relative clause with both direct object and head noun as object
From here:
国土交通省によると、３つの会社は走るのに必要なガソリンの量や外に出るガスの量を調べる検査を国が決めたルールと違うやり方で行っていました。そして、ルールどおりに検査したと記録していました。
According to the land ministry, three companies were operating in a way different to the ...
3
votes
1answer
296 views
What does なくた mean in 理解されなくたっていい?
I am reading 宇宙よりも遠い場所. Right off the beginning comes a sentence: "誰にも理解されなくたっていい".
I am sure it means "It is OK that it is not understood by anybody". However, the されなくた puzzles me:
Shouldn't ない ...
2
votes
2answers
160 views
Help understanding / translating a Japanese sentence with nested clauses
This sentence is not all that complicated, but I'm having a bit of trouble understanding exactly what it means and how the grammar is working. It's a quote from Japanese author Yoshikichi Furui (古井由吉):...
