Thanks for the additional input Zgarbas. I'll try to keep it in mind.

@Zgarbas: Where did you read からすると is interchangeable with にとって? I feel both are entirely different expressions.

Former expresses judgement, the latter cannot, can it!?

[Zgarbas]

When it is used in this particular manner, it is (isn't it?). However, not as a general rule.

I see. It's the first usage of からすると I did not know. Just checked Kanzen Master out

Edit: http://youtu.be/F-TFa4uwsRc?t=12m3s
What is she saying? I don't understand a word that comes out of her mouth

And what is the background voice saying at 11:59?

一番小さい所しか借りられなかったの

I think this is supposed to be understood as, I could only borrow the smallest place.

But could it also mean, only the smallest place was lend to me, implying I didnt get loans on any other places as well?

Tori-kun Wrote:I see. It's the first usage of からすると I did not know. Just checked Kanzen Master out

Edit: http://youtu.be/F-TFa4uwsRc?t=12m3s
What is she saying? I don't understand a word that comes out of her mouth

And what is the background voice saying at 11:59?

社会科見学以来だわー
and
残業に追われる人々に感謝しなければ
I think!

I am reading 吉本ばなな。まぼろしハワイ

Some context. This guy, the narrator and main character (we do not know his name), really likes Apple-Chan.

そのとき僕はほんとうに彼女に会いたくなり、　彼女を本気で好きになりそうだと思った。　りんごだ、　と思っただけで胸が熱くなったのだ。

The next sentence appears to have some sexual connotations, but, maybe I am reading more into it than I should?

僕の完璧な顔のアップルちゃん、　知らないおじさんに抱かれてぐちゃぐちゃに濡れる僕の彼女。

Haha, what a hilarious sentence. It sounds pretty dirty to me (濡れる is the standard word for being wet 'down there'), and Yoshimoto seems to like writing about sex, so I'm not surprised.

Though, I'm not 100% sure. Do you know who she means by おじさん?

I think it's probably sexual, from the context and from ぐちゃぐちゃ ... she becomes 'soggily' or 'messily' wet when embraced by a man she doesn't know.

I haven't seen that particular combination before, but, I'd expect びしょびしょに (or one of its relatives) if she were, say, being rained on during this embrace. (I'd also expect rain to be mentioned explicitly if this were the intended meaning.)

Yeah, I read that as some old guy he doesn't know is pawing and slobbering over her.

Thanks guys! It makes better sense to me now.

Apple-chan is married to a guy quite a bit older than she is and the narrator has never met him. Moreover, it seems to be a marriage of convenience. So I think he is imagining her husband, the old guy he doesn't know, pawing and slobbering over her.

This is my third Yoshimoto book, (Kitchen and Tsugumi) and she continues to surprise me!

corry Wrote:一番小さい所しか借りられなかったの

I think this is supposed to be understood as, I could only borrow the smallest place.

But could it also mean, only the smallest place was lend to me, implying I didnt get loans on any other places as well?

your first guess was right.
一番小さい所しか借りられなかったの = I could only borrow the smallest place (due to lack of money or something)

if you say

only the smallest place was lend to me　it would be roughly written as 一番小さい所しか貸してくれなかったの。

I see why I was confused now the passive and potential conjugation are the same. Maybe I should have worded it like, 借りられなかった can mean was borrowed (by someone).

corry Wrote:I see why I was confused now the passive and potential conjugation are the same. Maybe I should have worded it like, 借りられなかった can mean was borrowed (by someone).

mmmmm. I cant really answer you about the "grammar" thing. I hate it. I studied japanese grammar only on my beginning stage. When I got to the intermediate stage, I concentrated on usage and just read Japanese text. I felt, at that time, that concentrating too much on grammar is holding me back. You learned your native language without really knowing the grammar anyway, right?

Sorry about the fancy words. What I had in mind was the following.

一番小さい所しか私に借りられなかった

Anyway, thank you for your help.

I've seen the phrase いい加減にしろ around the internet and heard it in a few anime series back when I used to watch them obsessively, and I understand it means something like "I've had enough!" or "Gimme a break!" but I've also seen some more vulgar translations for it (something along the lines of "STFU"). Is it something you'd say when getting into a fight or what?

You say it to someone when you think they're being unreasonable or getting too worked up over something. It's kind of like "Get a hold of yourself." or "Calm down!" It is used when people argue, but that's not the only context. The main gist is that the person saying it is trying to get the other person to calm down for a minute and be reasonable.

I've seen it in manga in cases where a character is really upset about something, and kind of spiraling out emotionally. Their friend, who they're not fighting with, will say that to them to try to get them to calm down and see reason. You see いい加減にしなさい from parents or teachers directed at kids a lot.

あの、みんながすごいでしょね。でもやぱりにほんっごがむずかしいだよ。だれかたつけて?

Hey guys. I just need to check something.
彼の提案にだれ一人として反対できなかった。
Does this sentence mean something like "Not even one person could agree with his idea"?

yep.. here's j dictionary entry on that
３ （下に打消しの語を伴って）例外なく全部である意を表す。

「一人―生き残った者はいない」「一時(いっとき)―目が離せない」

彼の提案にだれ一人として反対できなかった。
It's 消しの語を伴って because it's できなかった

love2KISEKI Wrote:I've seen the phrase いい加減にしろ around the internet and heard it in a few anime series back when I used to watch them obsessively, and I understand it means something like "I've had enough!" or "Gimme a break!" but I've also seen some more vulgar translations for it (something along the lines of "STFU"). Is it something you'd say when getting into a fight or what?

you can also think about the literal meaning if you haven't yet. iikagen suru
iikagen means reasonable amount/frequency/etc
that's why they translate it as cut i out or i've had enough

Ok thanks.

howtwosavealif3 Wrote:yep.. here's j dictionary entry on that
３ （下に打消しの語を伴って）例外なく全部である意を表す。

「一人―生き残った者はいない」「一時(いっとき)―目が離せない」

彼の提案にだれ一人として反対できなかった。
It's 消しの語を伴って because it's できなかった

Doesn't it mean "Not a single person could disagree with his proposal"? Not 'agree'.

Yeah, it's "No one could oppose his proposal" and not the other way around. Check out some examples on alc.

howtwosavealif3 Wrote:yep.. here's j dictionary entry on that
３ （下に打消しの語を伴って）例外なく全部である意を表す。

「一人―生き残った者はいない」「一時(いっとき)―目が離せない」

彼の提案にだれ一人として反対できなかった。
It's 消しの語を伴って because it's できなかった

For clarity, this just is the definition for として.

Tzadeck Wrote:

howtwosavealif3 Wrote:yep.. here's j dictionary entry on that
３ （下に打消しの語を伴って）例外なく全部である意を表す。

「一人―生き残った者はいない」「一時(いっとき)―目が離せない」

彼の提案にだれ一人として反対できなかった。
It's 消しの語を伴って because it's できなかった

Doesn't it mean "Not a single person could disagree with his proposal"? Not 'agree'.

yeah. It means "Not a single person could disagree with his proposal". But because it uses としてin だれ一人として it has the implication that no one could stand up by themselves and disagree

pauro02 Wrote:あの、みんながすごいでしょね。でもやぱりにほんっごがむずかしいだよ。だれかたつけて?

You'll find a fair few fairly experienced learners of Japanese (by the way, 日本語 is にほんご, there is no glottal stop/っ) to help you out if you are in trouble or stuck with something. It isn't really all that hard though, just a little different to what you may be used to. It's about 80% consistency, in the end.

Is there any particular issue in relation to a word or phrase you are in need of help?