To say or not to say: that is the question.

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Jul 25, 2010 16:53

Let me try to help you learners of basic Japanese out there understand one fundamental rule underlying Japanse grammar in terms of omission. The golden rule is: The predicate---verbs and adjectives---is the essential part of the sentence, everything else being subject to omission depending on the context.

Whenever you want to say something in Japanese, you need to put all the necessary pieces of information into a sentence in this order: Modifiers+Predicate. Unlike in English, you only say what is absolutely necessary to get your message across and you leave out everything else that can be deduced from the context. Remember that what you would call the subject of a sentence in English grammar is no more than a modifying part of a sentence, and that it is as important or unimportant as other modifyers are, depending on the context. If you need to say it to complete your message, say it. Don't say it, however, if the context makes it clear what the topic of your sentence is.

Look at the following examples.

A: Do you want this book?
B: Yes, I do. Will you give it to me?
A: OK. I'll give it to you.

A: この本がほしいですか。
B: はい。くれませんか。
A: いいですよ。あげます。
Word for word translation:
A: This book want?
B: Yes. Give not?
A: OK. Give.

A: Are you going to Tokyo tomorow?
B: No, I'm going on Sunday.
A: Is May going, too?
B: No, she isn't. She's going to Osaka.
A: 明日東京に行くのですか？
B: いいえ、日曜日です。
A: メイも行くのですか。
B: いいえ、メイは大阪に行きます。
Literally:
A: Tomorrow Tokyo-to go?
B: No, Sunday.
A: May too goes?
B: No, May Osakat-to goes.

Note also that in the last sentence, メイ is repeated because it is not common to use 彼 and 彼女, which are usually considered to be the equivalents for he and she.

Read another example dialog.

A: 愛してるよ。
B: うれしいわ。

The context helps you understand who loves whom and who is happy. Now look at the following dialog.

A: ぼくは君を愛してるよ。
B: 私はうれしいわ。

That would sound very unusual and unnatural to the Japanese ear because verbally expressing words or phrases that don't have to be said at all attaches a special emphasis to them.

Hence:
A: Other people don't love you, but as far as I'm concerned, I love you.
or
A: It is YOU that I love, not Mary, Jane or anybody else.
B: Other people might feel otherwise, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm happy.

Tisane

Thank you for your correction!

Jul 25, 2010 17:14

The golden rule is: The predicate---verbs and adjectives---is the essential part of the sentence, everything else being subject to omission depending on the context.
The golden rule is: The predicate---the verbs or adjectives---is the essential part of the sentence, and everything else being is subject to omission depending on the context.

Remember that what you would call the subject of a sentence in English grammar is no more than a modifying part of a sentence, and that it is as important or unimportant as other modifyers are, depending on the context.
Remember that what you would call the subject of a sentence in English grammar is no more than a modifying part of a sentence, and that it is as important or unimportant as other modifiers are, depending on the context.

Read another example dialog.
Here's another example dialog.

This is definitely a common issue with Japanese learners, and I think you did an excellent job of addressing it. I imagine you would hear a lot of 私は～ right?

Anyway, I usually err on the side of omitting everything I can and hoping it's still understandable. ;)

Jul 25, 2010 18:25

Thank you for the helpful post! I was talking to a Japanese person a few weeks ago, and it was almost like I was using the useless 'watashi wa' to stall while I think of what do say... I've got to practice not resorting to that.

mossun

Jul 25, 2010 23:52

This is really helpful to beginners like me. You must be a very good teacher, the ideas are presented clearly, succinctly and interestingly. Thank you.

winnie

Jul 26, 2010 17:43

なるほど～わかりました，先生がありがとうございます。