Agony or Fun?! Second Language Learning

It is important to learn some complex sentence structures consisting of two clauses.

– [Subordinate Clause] + [FW], [Main Clause].

where, [FW] means functional words that are placed at the end of the subordinate clause and works to bring the main clause up.

Just before, we have learned the following sentences in the exercise A1 of the section 45.

– [Subordinate Clause] + ba’ai wa, [Main Clause].

This sentence in A1 has the following two features:

(1) It uses a noun “ba’ai” and the particle “-wa” as the functional word.

(2) The main clause mentions a thing that can be expected from the subordinate clause.

On the other, today’s sentences in the exercise A2 are;

– [Subordinate Clause] + noni, [Main Clause].

and have two features that are different from the sentences of A1.

(3) It uses a conjunctive particle “-noni,” as the functional word.

(4) The main clause mentions a thing that contrasts from the subordinate clause.

And “contrast” is important when dealing with conjunctive particles. Some conjunctive particles are used to array clauses parallelly. But most time, you need to be aware of a conjunctive particle that you are looking now is whether for direct or contrast connections between the subordinate clause and the main clause. When it comes to the conjunctive particles for contrast, we have already learned two;

<1>“-ga,” in the section 8

Example: Kono Resutoran no Tabemono wa Takai desuga, Oishikunai desu.

(Although foods in this restaurant are expensive, they are not tasty.)

If prices of foods in a restaurant are high, you would expect that the foods are delicious. But an unexpected thing happens. The subordinate clause starting with “Kono -” and the main clause with “Oishikunai – ” shows a contrast. “-ga,” is a conjunctive particle for contrast.

<2> “-temo,” in the section 25

Example: Ame ga Futtemo, Dekake masu.

(Even if it rains, I will go out.)

If it’s a job or duty, you have to go out of house even under the rainfall. But in general, people want to stay at home when it rains. “-temo,” is a conjunctive particle for contrast.

As well as “-ga,” and “-temo,”, the conjunctive particle “-noni,” is also a kind of contrasting. But not just making a contrasting connection, “-noni,” expresses a little bit of modality. In this regard, calling “-noni,” a functional word may be insufficient. Using “-noni,” for contrasting connection, you can express a feeling when something against expectation had happened, or a feeling that you are disappointed.

1. Gita’a o Isshou-Kemmei Renshuu-Shita noni, Minna no Mae de Umaku Hikemasen desshita. (Even though I had practiced a guitar hard, I couldn’t play it well in front of people.)

This sentence expresses his/her lamenting with use of “-noni”. Note that the connection between the verb “Suru/Shimasu” and “-noni,” is done with the Ta-form of “Suru/Shimasu”, which is “Shita”.

2. Mou Ichi-jikan mo Matte iru noni, Basu ga Kimasen. (Even though I have been waiting for one hour, no bus has come.)

You want to say a complaint if having been waiting for a bus for one hour. Note that the connection to “-noni,” seems to be done with a dictionary form “iru”, but it may be better to think it as “[V-te]+iru+noni,”.

Since using “-noni,” brings up a little modality of against-expectation, complaint, and disappointment, the main clause may have a tendency to be a negative comment as seen in the sentence 1 and 2.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A2 of Section45 in “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”