Chapter 2: Grammar and Practice
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Grammar
Grammar Point A... "A STREETCAR CALLED DESIRE"
- NOUN 1 + という + NOUN 2 means "a NOUN 2 called NOUN 1"
- *See Grammar Point D* : This is essentially using a verb to modify a noun. There isn't really anything special about this.
Grammar Point B... AMONG OTHER THINGS!
- The compound particle "とか" means "and things like".
- Use it in between nouns in a similar fashion as the と or か particles.
- You need to any other relevant particles AFTER THE FINAL NOUN as appropriate
- The compound particle "とか" means "and things like".
- Realize that there needs to be some sort of logical and easily recognizable pattern between the listed things.
- You can add とか to the end of the list and continue, however this "final" とか is not necessary.
- Notice it's the particle と ("and") and the particle か ("Or.."). The literal definition of this particle is "and/or", however it MEANS "and things like"
Grammar Point C... CHANGE YOUR PANTS!!!
- Verb stem + かえる (group 2 verb) means "to change [something] in the fashion of [verb]", or "to re[verb]"
- It is used frequently with clothing verbs.
- のりかえます deserves mention due to the culture of Japan: transferring between trains is very important.
Grammar Point D ... **THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP TO SOUNDING LIKE YOU'RE SOMEWHAT FLUENT!!!!!!!!!**
- Modifying a noun using a verb and/or sentence.
- We've encountered modifying a noun with an い-adjective. We've also encountered that verbs and い-adjectives have much in common.
- Similar to an い-adjective, a plain-form verb can be used to modify a noun.
- In fact, a sentence ending in a plain-form verb can be used to modify a noun.
- These formations translate to "The [X] that [Verbs]", or "the [X] who [Verbs]", or "the [X], which [Verbs],..."
- This pattern can be used for any noun in any sentence and can even be used more than once in a sentence! HAVE FUN TRANSLATING!
- The sentence before the Noun-being-modified can be called a "clause", and the rest of the sentence can be considered "the main sentence"
- The subject of the "clause", as with other clauses (for example, when quoting or recording speech), receives the が particle, not the は particle. Remember: the は particle is the "Super-subject marker".
- The subject of the clause can also get the particle の in many situations.
- Doing so makes the clause ONLY the verb. See examples below.
Grammar Point E ... AS A DOCTOR, I RECOMMEND A LOBOTOMY!
- Using として as a sort of particle (it's really not a particle) after a noun conveys the meaning of "as a [Noun]..."
- "NOUN 1 + として + NOUN 2" translates to "Noun 2 as a Noun 1"
Grammar Point F ... WHEN I EAT ICE CREAM, I GET GASSY!
- Using とき (the noun for "time": 時) as a noun after a clause denotes the idea of "upon [the clause]"
- This pattern does not denote a conditional: it does NOT mean "once something happens..."
- *See Grammar Point D* : This is essentially using a verb to modify a noun.
- The sentence before とき is a "clause", and thus the subject generally receives a が instead of は (unless it's the same subject as in the main sentence).