タグ: to for quotation

The exercises A3 through A6 in the section 33 have a common feature. That is being a complex sentence using the particle “-to”. The particle “-to” has several functions as shown below;

{As a case particle}

(1) Mentioning two nouns in parallel

– Ringo to Mikan (An apple and a mandarin orange)

(2) A person who acts together

 – Otouto to Kenka Shimashita. (I got into a fight with my younger brother.) — 1

 – Tomodachi to Ryokou Shimashita. (I traveled with my friend.) — 2

“[Person] to” is necessary for the sentence 1., but not always necessary for the sentence 2.

(3) Indicating the end of Quotation of Utterance or Thought.

 – Satou-san wa Osake o Nomanai to Iimashita. (Sato-san said that she didn’t drink Alcohol.)

{As a conjunctive particle}

 – Haru ni Naru to, Hana ga Sakimasu. (Come spring, the flowers get bloomed.)

In the A3 to A6, we are learning practical uses of “-to” that functions in the way of (3) Indicating the end of Quotation of Utterance or Thought. The sentence construction takes the following;

<1> [Utterance or Thought] to [Predicate].

In the case of today’s exercise A3, 1 can be as below;

<2> [Direct Quotation] to [Verb Predicate].

In the A3, only two predicates are used for [Verb Predicate]. They are “Kaite Arimasu. ((something has been) written.)” and “Yomimasu. (read.)”. Let’s look at the examples;

1. Asoko ni ｢Gomi o Suteruna｣ to Kaite Arimasu. (What is written over there is “Do not throw the garbage.”)

Note that not double quotations “” but parentheses (Kagi-Kakko) ｢ ｣ are used for direct quotation in Japanese. If you don’t use the Kagi-Kakko ｢ ｣, the sentence would have two meanings;

1’ Asoko ni Gomi o Suteruna to Kaite Arimasu.

=>? What is written over there is “Do not throw the garbage.”

=>? What is written is “Do not throw the garbage over there.”

2. Ano Kanji wa ｢Tachiiri-Kinshi｣ to Yomimasu. (That Kanjis read Tachiiri- Kinshi.)

“Tachiiri-Kinshi” means “No Entry”.

As to part of quotations, it is a verb clause in 1 and a noun in 2. But this difference does not come from the difference between “Kaite Arimasu” and “Yomimasu”. Of course it depends on the situation, you can say “Asoko ni ｢Tachiiri-Kinshi｣ to Kaite Arimasu.” to who couldn’t see ｢Tachiiri-Kinshi｣ is there, and you can say “Are wa ｢Gomi o Suteruna｣ to Yomimasu” to who couldn’t read the letters of ｢Gomi o Suteruna｣.

Practice and remember the following conversations;

A : Soko ni Nan to Kaite Arimasuka. (What is written there?)

B : Soko ni ｢Kin’en｣ to Kaite Arimasu. (What is written there is “No Smoking”.)

(｢Kin’en｣ is located at almost equal distance from both A and B.)

A : Koko ni Nan to Kaite Arimasuka. (What is written here?)

B : Koko ni ｢Okane o Irete Kudasai｣ to Kaite Arimasu.

 (What is written here is “Put in money here”.)

A : Sono Kanji wa Nan to Yomimasuka. (How do you read that Kanji?)

B : Kono Kanji wa ｢Hijouguchi｣ to Yomimasu. (That Kanji reads ｢Hijouguchi (emergency exit)｣.)

(That Kanji is closer to B.)

A : Kono Suuji wa Nan to Yomimasuka. (How do you read this number?)

B : Kono Suuji wa ｢Sen Happaku Kyuu-juu Go｣ to Yomimasu. (That Suuji reads “one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five (1895)”.)

————————————–

This post was written with reference to the exercise A3 on Section33 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”