|
1. Why does Japanese have postpositions
It is said that,in English,about ten among 60 or 70 prepositions are the
most useful. In japanese,only three postpositions of "de","ni" and "no" correspond to them,that is,you should master the three.
Kamakura Mr.Tanaka Sunday
However you arrange the three words as above,it makes no sense,that is
to say,the words are dead.When they are given a verb as follows,each ofthem
returns to life.Therefore,we can compare such a verb as above to the heart
ofthe human body.
English:
go ← to Kamakura
[VERB] ← with Mr.Tanaka → go to Kamakura with Mr.Tanaka on Sunday
← on Sunday
To combine each word( noun ) with the verb "go",we insert "to","with" and "on" between them.If the verb "go" is left out,"to","with" and "on" stay immediately before each word of "Kamakura","Mr.Tanaka" and "Sunday" respective-
ly.This is why they are called "prepositions" in English.
Japanese:
Kamakura e (=to) → i-ku(=go)
Tanaka-san to(=with) → [VERB] → Kamakura e Tanaka-san to nichiyoo-bi ni i-ku
nichiyoo-bi ni(=on) →
In a Japanese sentence,a verb is placed at its end. On the contrary,a verb comes near the top of a sentence in English.
Therefore,prepositions must come immediately before nouns to combine them
with the verb. For the same reason, Japanese
particles,that is,postpositions,such as"e(=to)","to(=with)" and "ni(=on)", stay immediately after the nouns of "Kama-
kura","Tanaka-san(=Mr.Tanaka)" and "nichiyoo-bi(=Sunday)" respectively.This is why there are no prepositions in
Japanese but instead postpositions.
- to the TOP
2. How to distinguish between "action( or motion )" and "non-action(
or existence )" verbs
There are two ways to distinguish between the two groups of verbs as follows:
action( or motion ) verbs: eat(=tabe-ru),read(=yo-mu),see(=mi-ru),talk(=hana-su),etc.
non-action( or existence ) verbs: stay(=i-ru;toma-ru);be(=i-ru;a-ru),live(=iki-ru),etc.
NOTE:
In fact,verbs to express "existence" are vey few in Japanese.
EX. Masao is watching TV in the next room.
(=Masao-wa tonari-no heya de terebi-o mi-te i-mas.)
If you are told this and may close your eyes,you can visualize "him" watching TV on the sofa or on the mats.Such a verb is called an action or motion verb.And the postposition to be used for the place(=the next room) must be
"de".
EX. Yumiko is reading [ or is sleeping ] upstairs.
(=Yumiko-wa nikai-de hon-o yo-nde i-mas.[ or ne-te i-mas].)
If someone tells you as above,you can not ask him saying:"What is she doing?" Such verbs ( as "read" and "sleep" ) are called action or motion verbs.This is the Japanese way of thinking.Needless to say,the postposition
for the place(=upstairs) must be "de" because of the above mentioned reason.
EX. Masao is in the next room.
(=Masao-wa tonari-no heya ni i-mas.)
If your friend tells you this,how can you visualize "him"?He may be reading,sleeping or painting,that is to say,you have no way
to visualize "him".Such a verb is called a non-action or existence verb.And the postposition to be used for the place(=the next room) must be
"ni".
EX. Yumiko is upstairs.
(=Yumiko-wa nikai-ni i-mas.)
If someone tells you this,you can ask him saying: "What is she doing?".In Japanese,we class such verbs with non action verbs or existence verbs.The postposition for the place(=upstairs) must be "ni" according to the same reason as stated in the above example.
- to the TOP
3. Exceptional postpositions "wa","ga" and "o"
"Wa" or "ga" is used to distinguish a subject and "o" is used for direct object.
EX. Suzuki-san-wa[ or ga ] paso-kon-o tsuka-tte i-mas.
(=Ms.Suzuki is using a personal computer.)
[SUBJECT] [OBJECT]
- to the TOP
4. Why does Japanese need such exceptional postpositions
Except for verbs and auxiliary verbs,which always stay at the end of a
sentence,there is no definite order among other words such as adverbs and
nouns used for a subject and an object.See the following examples:
EX. Mr.Nakano planted the flowers.
This English can be translated in two ways in Japanese as follows:
Nakano-san hana ue-mashta. or Hana Nakano-san ue-mashta.
Although each has no postposition to indicate the subject and object,our
common sense tells us that "Mr.Nakano planted the flowers" and "the flowers never planted Mr.Nakano".
EX. Mr.Arai called Ms.Tanaka.
Arai-san Tanaka-san yo-bi-mashta. or Tanaka-san Arai-san yo-bi-mashta.
In English,the position of a subject and an object are definite.But in
Japanese,as you see here,there is no definite position among the words
with the exception of the verb and auxiliary verb, with the result that
we can not tel l"which called which?".
Hence,as you see in the following translation,we need something to indicate
"which is the subject or object?",that is,postpositions,"wa","ga" and "o".
Arai-san-wa[ or ga ] Tanaka-san-o yo-bi-mashta. or Tanaka-san-o Arai-san-wa[ or ga ] yo-bi-mashta.
- to the TOP
5. How to make a distinction between "wa" and "ga"
EX. Dare-ga cup-o kowa-shi-mashta ka.
(=Who broke the cup?)
Suppose that you found a cup broken when you entered your room.You wish
to know "who[ or what ]" broke it,that is to say,"Did Masao or Yumi break it or did the cat do?".
Who(=Masao-ga or Yumi-ga or Neko-ga) → broke the cup(=cup-o kowa-shi-mashta).
[ Subject is called in question ] [ Predicate is already fixed ]
When a subject is emphasized as above,we use "ga" for its postposition.
EX. Abe-san-wa genki des. or Abe-san- wa France e i-ki-mas.
(=Mr.Abe is well. or Mr.Abe is going to France.)
Suppose that you meet with your friend Mr.Abe in town.You may ask him saying:
"Are you well?","Are you going toFrance?" or "Are you busy?".In contrast to the above mentioned case,in this case,the predicate is called in question,while the subject "you" is fixed.In such a case,the postposition to the subject must be "wa" as follows:
Mr.Abe(=Abe-san-wa) → is well. or is going to France.(=genki des. or France e i-ki-mas..)
[ Subject is already fixed ] [ Predicate is called in question ]
- to the TOP
6. Other uses of "wa"
As is understood from the above statement, "ga" used for a subject is more emphatic than "wa". The same thing can be said in their other uses when they have the same
meaning.
(1) ・・・ but ・・・
Being suffixed to other postpositions, "wa" is used to suggest something further as follows.Needless to say,it can
not stay together with "ga" and "o" in any case.
EX. Ueda-san-wa rai-shuu Nagoya e wa i-ki-masen.
(=Mr.Ueda will not go to Nagoya next week [but he may go to ・・・] .)
Takahashi-san to wa hana-shi ta-ku nai des.
(=I don't wish to talk with Mr.Takahashi [ but I wish to talk with Ms.・・・ ]. )
Watashi-wa France-go- o wa hana-se-masen.
(=I can not speak French [ but I can speak ・・・]. )
Generally "wa" in thismeaning is used for negative as shownabove.But it is possible to
use it for affirmative as follows:
EX. Ueda-san-wa Nagoya e wa i-ki-mas,keredo Koobe e wa i-ki-masen.
(=Mr.Ueda will go to Nagoya but he won't go to Koobe.)
Tanaka-san-wa niku-o wa tabe-mas ga sakana-o wa tabe-masen.
(=Ms.Tanaka eats meat but she does not eat fish.)
However,it is impossible to use "wa" for affirmative "de a-ru(=be)" in the following way.
EX. Aoki-san-wa ginkoo-in de wa a-ri-mas.
(=Mr.Aoki is a bank clerk.)
(2) For the meaning of "concerning"
As you see in the following examples,it is easy to understand the use of "wa" for "concerning" because there is another postposition of subjective use,that is, "ga".
EX. Watashi-wa o-naka-ga suki-mashta.
(=I am hungry.)
＊ Watashi-wa [=Concerning me] o-naka-ga[=his stomach] suki-mashta[=has made room]
Hara-san-wa atama-ga ita-i des.
(=Mr.Hara has a headache.)
＊ Hara-san-wa[=Concerning Mr.Hara] atama-ga[=his head] ita-i des[=is painful]
(3) "If" for undesirable cases
When "wa" comes immediately after a verb - with SECTION 1 conjugation - that is to say,it is used for a conjunction,it means "if".This "if" is used generally for undesirable cases as follows:
EX. Ame-ga futte wa,kaimono-ni i-ki ta-ku nai des.
(=If it rains,I don't wish to go shopping.) [ If it rains - UNDESIRABLE ]
Kono suit-ga soo taka-ku-tte wa ,ka-e-masen.
(=If this suit is so expensive,I can not buy it.) [ If ・・・ so expensive - UNDESIRABLE ]
- to the TOP
7. Other uses of "ga"
(1) ・・・ but ・・・
"Ga" used as "but",however,is not so strong as "keredo mo(=but)" or "kedo(=but)".
EX. Nakano-san-wa hachi-juu-go sai des ga,genki des.
(=Mr.Nakano is eighty-five years old, but he is in good health.)
Tenki-wa ii (des) ga,samu-i des.
(=It is fine, but cold.)
(2) I hope ・・・(=・・・ to ii ga )
EX. Ashta Yamada-san-ga kuru to ii ga.
(=I hope Ms.Yamada will kcome tomorrow.)
This is translated word for word as follows:
If Ms.Yamada comes tomorrow,it is good but [ she may not come(=ko nai kamo-shiremasen) ].
(to) (ii) (ga)
- to the TOP
8. Relation between exceptional postpositions and other postpositions
Exceptional postpositions( "wa","ga" and "o" ) can not be used together with other postpositions and equivalents.
EX. Keetai-denwa-o mo ka-i-mashta.
(=I bought a cell phone too.)
Yokohama-o made i-ki-mas.
(=I willl go up to Yokohama.)
Noguchi-san-wa( or -ga ) mo ki-mas.
(=Ms.Noguchi will come too.)
Manager-wa( or -ga ) Aoki-san-wa( or -ga ) des.(=de a-ri-mas).
(=The manager is Mr.Aoki.)
Oosaka-wa( or -ga ) yori Tookyoo-wa ooki-i des.
(=Tookyoo is larger than Oosaka.)
DVD-o dake ka-tte kudasai.
(=Please buy only DVDs.)
NOTE:
This rule is applied to those equivalents to postpositions such as "dake(=only)".
"Des" is the abbreviation of "de a-ri-mas".This is the reason why any noun and pronoun must leave out any of the
three exceptional postpositions when suffixed with another postposition.
- to the TOP
