Past tense ~ ことがある and present tense 〜ことがある are the same grammatical concept. The past tense one expresses that something HAS occured, while the present expresses that something DOES occur.

話したことがある =　have talked (talking occured)

話すことがある　= there are times that (I) talk (talking occurs)

You can just think of it as the same as Noun + ある to describe that something exists only you're using こと as a nominalizer to make the phrase a noun. So it's saying that [nominalized phrase] exists.

Thanks Aijin! Haha you're keeping that avatar?
勉強になりました。

Quick question (about the bolded part):

椋を中心に女の壁が出来ていると言う意味では、さっきまでと変わりない。

I've seen semilar constructs to this before as well. I understand what it means (With Ryou in the center), but I don't really follow the grammar. I assume that there is a verb to go along with を here (guessing it's just left out), but I don't know what that verb would be... maybe する? Or is this just a set phrase?

Hmm, I never really thought about that but I guess it could be 中心にして, with the して left off.

Kanzen Master gives the grammar point as ~を中心に(して), which supports that idea. Compare ~をきっかけに(して), ~を契機に(して), etc.

Ah, cool, thanks guys!

yudantaiteki Wrote:kapalama: 非 means "not", and 人名用 means "used for names".

I can read the kanji inidividually, but it seems like there is something past that being expressed by it compound. Saying something is used as a person's name, or place name, is actually telling you something important and useful about the Kanji: Don't be surprised if it has random readings.

It seems like the listing is saying something more about the Kanji.

yudantaiteki Wrote:I think that the 微妙 is perhaps rather as an answer to a question -- it usually means something like "not really" or "not very much".

That's not how it is being used in, at least some, real world conversations, though, and that's what vix86 is having trouble with.. It is used by a Japanese person when they catch a whiff of a *bad* smell, (for instance) and it is not in response to a question, it is a statement. Like if you check the meat in your sandwich and it smells 'off'

It's why I wrote it in kana. The meaning of the Kanji just does not match what it clearly being expressed. When one asks the Japanese person (who just said びみょう　の　におい)　what "びみょう の におい" means they flip back to the dictionary meaning of delicate, or light scent, like a whiff of perfume、which follow as along with not really, not much. But that is not how the phrase is actually being used by them. It is being used as in interjection to express a definite negative connotation (as vix86 was asking about). The Japanese speakers use it like that, and yet when you ask them to define it, they remove the (absolutely negative) connotation of the phrase and give the dictionary definition of 'light, delicate, not really'.

Which is confusing. But like I said Japanese people are the worst people to ask about connotation, because they unconsciously scrub negative connotation out of definitions (out of politeness, I guess).

Well, it's not entirely clear what vix86 was asking about since he didn't give any specific contexts.

Quote:It seems like the listing is saying something more about the Kanji.

Probably it's telling you that either (a) it is not on the list of kanji that can legally be used for names (i.e. the 常用 + 人名用 lists), or (b) the connotation of the kanji is so negative that it would not be used in names. (a seems more likely)

Yeah, I just tried googling for 非人名用 and you get uses like

Quote:名前の漢字に、「縷」（ル）を使いたいのですが、非人名用と有りますが。

Quote:漢検1級レベルの漢字、非人名用漢字が含まれており、かなり高レベルな熟語も見られます。

which look to me like it's being used to mean "not in 常用 or 人名用".

The other possible context you could guess at is in for instance a list of the kanji being added to the 常用 set -- in a list like that "this kanji wasn't even in the 人名用 before" is interesting information.

So, er, context is good when you're asking questions :-)

それに時刻が時刻である。老女は不思議でたまらなかった。

I am not getting anything out of the first sentence. The second sentence is confusing me because i think it should be "the woman found the spectacle intolerable" but it also sounds like "the woman was untolerable with the spectacle."

老女はその老人の無作法な態をよく見て置いて、後で主人の備後に話して思うさま油を絞ってやろうと思った。

I am having troubles with "さま油を絞ってやろう" What is the role of sama in this? and the meaning of the phrase? squeeze out the oil?

「そうか、面白いことをやりおるな」
　備後はこう云って微笑した。

What does "やりおるな" mean?

彼は朝から一発も放さないでじりじりしている時であったから、讐（かたき）にでも出会ったようにいきなり銃（つつ）の口火へ火縄をさした。

What is the purpose of "でも" in the part after the comma here?


What would the reading of these be?
造える
大巌

What is the meaning of these onomatopoeia?
よたりよたり
とりとり

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Source for all of this is http://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000154/files/823.html

Haych Wrote:それに時刻が時刻である。老女は不思議でたまらなかった。

I am not getting anything out of the first sentence. The second sentence is confusing me because i think it should be "the woman found the spectacle intolerable" but it also sounds like "the woman was untolerable with the spectacle."

Ｘでたまらなかった is literally "so X that she can't bear it" but it just means "Really, really X." So "The old woman found it incredibly mysterious."

I'm not sure about the first sentence because there was something before it; literally it's "In addition, the time is the time" (or "a moment is a moment" or something like that, more context is needed.)

Quote:老女はその老人の無作法な態をよく見て置いて、後で主人の備後に話して思うさま油を絞ってやろうと思った。

I am having troubles with "さま油を絞ってやろう" What is the role of sama in this? and the meaning of the phrase? squeeze out the oil?

思うさま = As much as she wants (in other words "a lot")
油を絞まる = To scold someone
(Both words are in EDICT)

Quote:「そうか、面白いことをやりおるな」
　備後はこう云って微笑した。

What does "やりおるな" mean?

I've seen this before and I'm not 100% sure, but it may just be やっている.

Quote:彼は朝から一発も放さないでじりじりしている時であったから、讐（かたき）にでも出会ったようにいきなり銃（つつ）の口火へ火縄をさした。

What is the purpose of "でも" in the part after the comma here?

"or something like it"

Quote:What would the reading of these be?
造える
大巌

First one I have no idea, please give context (is it こしらえる?)
Second one I also don't know -- たいがん? だいがん? おおいわ? Your guess is as good as mine.

Quote:What is the meaning of these onomatopoeia?
よたりよたり
とりとり

You've got the context, so you'll have a better chance at figuring them out than me (neither are in my dictionaries).

Would 大巌 make sense as a name in the sentence? Rikaichan (press Shift) or jdic's names dictionary will list the various name readings. I think it's the name of a Canadian beer. :-)

I think the やりおる　suggests the person is talking down to her with both the やる　and the おる. Since she's older, that might be significant?

yudantaiteki Wrote:

Haych Wrote:それに時刻が時刻である。老女は不思議でたまらなかった。

I am not getting anything out of the first sentence. The second sentence is confusing me because i think it should be "the woman found the spectacle intolerable" but it also sounds like "the woman was untolerable with the spectacle."

Ｘでたまらなかった is literally "so X that she can't bear it" but it just means "Really, really X." So "The old woman found it incredibly mysterious."

I'm not sure about the first sentence because there was something before it; literally it's "In addition, the time is the time" (or "a moment is a moment" or something like that, more context is needed.)

　しかし、その室は夜更（よふけ）に便所へ往来する奥婢（じょちゅう）のために灯明（あかり）を燭すところで、何人もいる人はないし、無論奥であるから男などの一杯機嫌でやって来て踊ると云うようなこともない。それに時刻が時刻である。
I posted a link in my upper post. The old woman is considering who might be dancing in the room. I am thinking maybe the sentence is describing how the "一杯機嫌" is a momentary thing.

yudantaiteki Wrote:

Quote:What would the reading of these be?
造える
大巌

First one I have no idea, please give context (is it こしらえる?)
Second one I also don't know -- たいがん? だいがん? おおいわ? Your guess is as good as mine.

I think that makes sense. The verb was used in the context of moulding lead for bullets.
For the second one, I don't really care what the reading is, but is there a good general rule to guess when to use kun or on readings in a compound?

yudantaiteki Wrote:

Quote:What is the meaning of these onomatopoeia?
よたりよたり
とりとり

You've got the context, so you'll have a better chance at figuring them out than me (neither are in my dictionaries).

そのよたりよたりとやっている跫音から推すと血気の盛な男ではないらしい。
行灯の灯を浴びて大きな犬のような赤毛の猫が頬冠（ほおかむり）をして、二本の後肢で立ち、その足で調子をとりとり、前肢二本を手のように揮（ふ）って踊っていた。

They are used to describe the dancing, but とりとり is used in a strange way, almost like a verb.

I got another problem sentence:

しかし昼飯に一時間もかけないだろうし、そういや授業中の合間の休み時間にも必ずといっていいほど教室にはいない奴《やつ》で、いったいこどをうろついているんだか。

Im having troubles with the part between the two commas. does iihodo mean a good amount? Also, what is kodo?

This japanese person on facebook writes "なう" after almost everything she says. Even is she speaks english she'll be like "flight delayed なう". What does it mean? I thought maybe it meant "now", but from some of the other things she has put it after, i'm not so sure it fits.

Spines11 Wrote:This japanese person on facebook writes "なう" after almost everything she says. Even is she speaks english she'll be like "flight delayed なう". What does it mean? I thought maybe it meant "now", but from some of the other things she has put it after, i'm not so sure it fits.

Apparently it's a twitter-ism, and yes, it means "now". See this thread.

Haych Wrote:I got another problem sentence:

しかし昼飯に一時間もかけないだろうし、そういや授業中の合間の休み時間にも必ずといっていいほど教室にはいない奴《やつ》で、いったいこどをうろついているんだか。

Im having troubles with the part between the two commas. does iihodo mean a good amount?

Ah, Haruhi... Better get used to confusing sentences. Anyway, you've misparsed that a bit, you want "[必ずといっていい]ほど", lit. "to such an extent that it would be OK to say 'invariably'", clarifying exactly how often Haruhi is out of the classroom for those between-lesson breaks.

Quote:Also, what is kodo?

Transcription error by somebody -- I see that at least one online text has こど, but my dead tree copy has どこ here, which makes much more sense.

財団法人 (財) gets translated as Juridical Foundation. Unfortunately that is not actually an American English phrase/word.

What's a better translation for that? Is it just "Foundation"? "Trust"?

kapalama Wrote:財団法人 (財) gets translated as Juridical Foundation. Unfortunately that is not actually an American English phrase/word.

What's a better translation for that? Is it just "Foundation"? "Trust"?

Probably depends what you want the translation for. プログレッシブ英和中辞典 has "a foundation; ((米)) a nonprofit corporation". EDICT suggests "incorporated foundation". Part of the problem here is that it's a legal term, which doesn't necessarily have an exact legal equivalent in other legal systems. So if the context is one where you need to be precise about the legal status of the institution then something a bit more longwinded might be better than just "foundation".

I know that て欲しい is used when you want someone else to do something, but I don't get the meaning when passive is used, like: 納得させて欲しい

context:
別れるときに会って話をして納得させて欲しい、と思う気持ちは女性の方が強い傾向があります。
http://oda999.tea-nifty.com/blog/2007/10/post_9ced.html

usis35 Wrote:I know that て欲しい is used when you want someone else to do something, but I don't get the meaning when passive is used, like: 納得させて欲しい

納得させて欲しい ＝ 納得するように説明して欲しい
I want you to convince me [give me a convincing explanation].

iSoron Wrote:

usis35 Wrote:I know that て欲しい is used when you want someone else to do something, but I don't get the meaning when passive is used, like: 納得させて欲しい

納得させて欲しい ＝ 納得するように説明して欲しい
I want you to convince me [give me a convincing explanation].

Thank you, iSoron,
So, I should consider 納得させる as a different verb, instead of the passive form of
納得する.

usis35 Wrote:So, I should consider 納得させる as a different verb, instead of the passive form of 納得する.

Sorry, I completely missed this in your previous post: 納得させる is the causative form of 納得する, not the passive form:

納得する = to agree with something [to be convinced]
納得させる = to make someone agree with something [to convince someone]

thanks, iSoron, now it is clearer.

Hello everyone. I have two questions, the first is about って。 I know its a quoting particle.. but I run into sentences where it being a quote just... doesn't make sense.

ex.

電源切って　（turn it off (the electricity))

黙って聞けよ！　（shut up and listen to me)

the second one is mainly confusing because at first I thought it said 「”shutup", listen!」
, but I read something on tae kim (dont like going there ) where sometimes they force -te form on words? but why wouldnt they just day 黙れ、聞けよ！


2nd Question:

what does 「あるある」 mean? like in niconico they say only respond with あるある or ねーよ. I think I know what ねーよ means, like a shortened じゃねええよ just.. like... no! but あるある confuses me... just because of the two options I would think it mean "yea I know" but on live streams they seem to use it when people make an "oops" mistake. like, forgot to get health potions in monster hunter? あるあるｗｗｗ


それではよろしくお願いします( ・∀・)ﾉ