Cs BASIC JAPANESE through comics Lesson 65 « Three meanings, one datte 3s in Kenkyusha’s New Japanese: ‘The word darte is actually allotted three separate listin, is, as always, a case of looking English Dictionary. Determining which usage appli at the context We start with examples in which dazte is equivalent to mo (“too/also” or sometimes “even") and demo (“even if it is"). Then we have examples where datte is a beginning. of-sentence conjunction similar to “but/yeUthough” or “because/after all/l mean.” We also show two examples of datte (usually written as da t1e in Mangajin), which is a quotative form like “I hear it is ~” or “he/she says it is ~." We have tried to choose examples that show each usage of datte as clearly as possible. On the final page of this lesson, see a few different usages of daite within one four-panel manga. “Also/too” Sanae and Masatoshi, who work at a wedding hall, are having a heated discussion about the behavior and responsibilities of men and women in relationships. What set them off was a ‘couple who couldn't agree on the details of their upcoming nuptials. Same: # bHEE BIDS BY oO by Otoko ga wagamama “iw fara ward noon, man (so) “selahors say, because isha fast (expan) (ph) “It's the man’s fault for insisting on his way.” (PL2) Masatoshi: x 7 Oma date wari ‘noman ‘ois bot fault “The woman is to blame, too.” (PL2) + wari (it, “bad/evi") soften used © mean “is at fault blame” ‘ha warai="~ isa fault’s ~'s fault meaning “also 18 Mangajn—— - aac “Either/neither” Sakamoto Yoshikata has recently become president of Wacoal, the women’s lingerie company founded by his father, Koichi. In this scene from the manga biography of the Sakamoto, KOichi has just finished telling Yoshikata that he feels he has been blessed by the life given to him, and that he's alway put forth his utmost effort. Yoshikata responds that he intends to do no less. Yoshikata: #@ Koc | RINGU Be Ore dane “‘makenat ‘a Tine ‘iso won't be dfestedoadone (mph) “won't be outdone, either.” ou can expect no less from me.” (PL2) + oreis rough, masculine word for “Vine.” ‘+ Imakenai is the abrupt negative form of makeru (“be defeated! be outdonefbe inferior”) I's not as if they will be in direct. ‘competition, so saying he “won't be defeated/outdone” essen- iy implies that he intends to live upto the precedent set by his father. D f Rae md a negative sentence, itcan bs like “eithencther | fl tu “Even if it is’ ‘Taka’ aki is following his mother’s footsteps and running his own beauty parlor. Here, his mother has stopped by and has just scolded him for not being careful enough with a customer's hair. ‘Taka’aki jokingly explains to those nearby that his mother loves to lecture even those who are no longer students, and that not even her children are exempt. Toko'aki: £9 BF Hot BL La 6 MH Be is no musta dane ‘Gila shinai dara asnline "son eventtis woatBeloueaitow mercy bec (0g) "pecause she won t show mercy even if tis her own son.” “She won't give even her own son a break” (P12) + yonha shina is rom the ver yiha suru ("be lenieatnake allowances Toushow merey"), which usually writen SCT 3 PS TIC Ct Avie ‘Dart can sometimes bea contaction of demo oF de ate mo ("even ifitis/you ae amvete. ~"). Mangaiin 19BasicwJepanese “Any~/no matter ~ ‘Yosuke has just explained to his girlfriend Riyoko that he'd like to attend a business seminar that will take place over the weekend, when they had scheduled a date. Fearing the worst, he's relieved when she says she thinks it would be a good idea, Fok NokoTL ED UE Ue ObuT Deo ga. paninate shimau kedo ii no kai? de (tbj) wltbecanctodregrs) but OK expla? “Are you sure it’s OK, even though our date will be off?”(PL2) Fob Votot TAS Lee evo me londate dete jana? Stor whenevedny tine cando “eight “We cam have a date anytime right?” (PL2) pais an effect word meaning “empty/blank.” so i ni nara ‘means “become empty/become nothing” -» “be eancelled.” + atts te te form of nara ("become"); the te shimau form {implies thatthe action or results epretable or undesirable + Katia colloquial variation of ka (© GyR Komi gpd Teo Miah Sela ‘When preceded by a question word, dart has the colloquial meaning ‘of "no matter whovwhat/when/where/how (itis): so. fu date tatir when its” —>“anylime/whenever.” Similarly ywhereluherever™ “anything whateve “anyonefihoever” 143 datte = "yo matter howin whatever manner” Protest/objection Kirita’s older sister has cajoled him into putting on a dress, and now she wants him to go ‘ouside so that everyone can see him. Not surprisingly, he refuses. Onisan: LILT WO. Doshite ya nano, Sy jecmable Gagn) “Why is it objectionable?” “Why don't you want to?” (PL2) Kirita: 720¢ Daite “Welt, you know. ‘© Koto Kiko Ida no Radome, Shoptaan ‘When dave appears by itself, i alm implies a protest or objection always- cujapene Introduction to a protest Godai is walking about the streets, searching for his friend’s missing dog, when he hears two children arguing over what to name a dog they've just found. Finally, the children’s mother breaks into their discussion, Woman'svoice: i) Eb = HITA Ks Lew Bo. Furl ‘one “tt ‘agen thn yo! Sespl Sak_ poo deesecen 0 dient) (ph) “Cat it out, the both of you!™ (PL2) Kidiswokee: Ho, BhbEh, BEA MH Roo Dawe. Stason onichan bana e won (boa ae tr 85) (alia) “But Mo-om! Onlichan’'s'..." (PL2) + it kagen ni shinasa’is command form off Ragen mi sur, literally “make [at] toa gond/appropriteextent”—implying tht that "good cettent” has already been surpassed "ake it exsyithat’s enough! stop itew it out + oniichan sa polite but informal version of nitsan (older brother”), Family members are often addressed by thet “Kinship ies” (Taha mo eon ots Shogaksn| Tn colloquial speech, date (here lengthened wo dane wo indicate a whiny ‘tone) soften used 26a conjunction wo introduce defensive statements oF Statements of proces/objection to what has just been said. Tis use of dae most typically translates a8 “but.” {troduction to elaboration ‘Sakamoto is wondering why his lingerie company’s sales have dropped off in the winter season. One of his employees suggests that it's because women don’t pay so much attention to their figures in the winter. She goes on to explain her theory. Employee: oC, i) EMH FS TLE. Date kimono 1 ka hasone-pi suru desho, frcame/teral Kimono or lyered clothing do. “igh “Afterall, they wear kimonos or put on several lay- ers, right?” (PL2) + asane-gi combines the stems ofthe verbs kasaneru (layed! pile up) and iru Cweat™ the k changes tog for euphony) to fake noun that refers to “layered clothing.” Adding sur reaies new verb meaning “wear several ayers.” “The conjunction dave is often used to introduce explanations Turther elaborations about what the speaker has just sid ecausefater all mean Mangain 21CT Basicniapen A quotative datte (or da tte) ‘This OL (“Office Lady”) has been out shopping with her mother, and they've seen many ‘expensive imported items. The mother seems unimpressed by the high price tags. LO ¥4¥ 1005F Hot, TOW ie Kono daiya mo hyaluman-en dane.” Sugoi this diamond too “T millon yeu s-qote) amaznghimesome (clog) “It says this diamond’s a million yen, too. Isn't it amaz- ing? (PL2) FAY O WH GAT zt Daiya no hyakuman nante nami yo, ‘amond ‘oT milion for common/ierge (ep) commoner. ant! ‘For a diamond, that’s just average: Average!™ (PL2) ‘nant canbe considered a colloquial equivalent of nado ("some i Fe ne (ne =" cal es na mar Be ops Caen thing like), or ofan ene phrase i kotedmono wa (°% ‘hing/place/person/ation that is something lke ~"). I's used asa sed on da (“ivare") plus the lee (equivalent to 10, 0 ~ dart can mean “says/said it is ~" (tne quoted wordiphrase an be from either & spoken or writen soure), Datte to express surprise ‘The manga biography of Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki, founder of the Benihana restaurants, depicts ‘one of Rocky's first business ventures: ice eream vending. One day, Rocky retums his ice ‘cream truck early, having completely sold out, His boss asks what part of town he has been ‘working, 2 Rocky: LA &, Devo? ume ae EAM RMOT ee Boss: NLA Hot? Kkt Bb MoT’ Om Harem datie? Donna tokoro a shite-ru_o ka!? (place) Garpose) what kindof place”) "kno (eaplen?) “Harlem, you say? Do you know what kind of « place that is?” (PL2) + shite-rais «contraction of shite iru (“know”) ‘When a speaker i surprised by what he bas just heard, he often quotes the word or phrase that surprised hirn and adds dave? with the intonation of & question. The tone can range from pleasant surprise to puzzlement to out rage. (Fo this us, dart can follow immediately after verb aswell 853 noun, so the da does not necessarily cary the meaning of “isare.") A female speaker might say desu te instead of date in this ase (© Taatnt Mju & Fann J Behn no Che, 22 Mangajin‘There are three instances of darte in this manga from the series “OL Shinkaron, showing a slightly different usage. Gir HLL BR SHR EDL Ast hori skwitejo “nina ha Taare ‘Tecponat wat beste (colo “ra uxe to become a receptionist a the futare:” (PL2) Kot ATT Sect eayicsed parce itp)” "Timean, if looks so easy’? (PL2) + date here irodueesanexplanation—the reason vy she wants to ‘become erecepionst + nad mom isa colloqisl contraction ofthe explanatory nono da ACER USE wy wD cat [A] Ou: mite & HO Rox Be AE Ho eke eh ni date mart dara Pie, wt chine ey etter ee “you wind up with poor circulation, or even hemorrhoids.” Bee ia > remote ato 5 Seat tia ter, a 1a? Hemorrhoids? I don’t want to get hem holds!” (PL2) . esses soot dns person becomes cold easily due ‘o low blood circulation, anemia, ete + rnidatte isa colloquial mi mo, with ni indieating the resulk of becom- ing, and mo adding emphasis like “even.” + yada = yada (is disagreeableldon't want”), ‘Mangaiin 23