Let’s learn Japanese with Hiroshi Nohara’s quote from Crayon Shin-chan: Battle in the Daimyo Era (Arashi wo Yobu Appare! Sengoku Daikassen).
CONTENTS
Video
Hiroshi Nohara’s Quote
Japanese: しんのすけのいない世界に未練なんてあるか？
Romaji: shinnosuke no inai sekai ni miren nante aru ka?
English: We have no attachments in a world where Shinnosuke doesn’t exist!
Analysis
しんのすけ is the full first name of the main character Shin-chan, who is their son.
いない means “doesn’t exist”.
So しんのすけのいない means “Shinnosuke doesn’t exist” which is a subordinate clause modifying the following noun, 世界 meaning “world“.
You might wonder why the particle の is used, as が is normally used with the subject in a subordinate clause, which is in this case しんのすけがいない世界.
But in an adjective clause which modifies a noun, の can be used to substitute が. The difference is very subtle but basically が emphasises the subject whereas の emphasises the predicate.
So しんのすけのいない世界 means “a world where Shinnosuke doesn’t exist”.
“Something or someone に未練がある” means “to have an emotional attachment to something or someone” that you used to have and it’s hard to get back anymore but you can’t easily give up on.
So しんのすけのいない世界に未練がある means “to have attachments in a world where Shinnosuke doesn’t exist”.
But in this quote, instead of が, なんて is used to add emphasis and express the speaker’s negative feelings towards the preceding word, which is 未練. So Hiroshi is emphasising the 未練 meaning “lingering affection or attachment” is something disgraceful by using なんて.
Lastly, か is used to make a rhetorical question. When it’s used with an affirmative form, it usually expresses the strong negative declaration. So しんのすけのいない世界に未練なんてあるか means “Do we have attachments in a world where Shinnosuke doesn’t exist? No, we don’t!” or “How can we live without him? It’s impossible!”
Examples
の (used to substitute が in subordinate clauses)
あの教授の書いた本は難しくて理解できない。
ano kyōju no kaita hon wa muzukashikute rikai dekinai.
The book that the professor wrote is too difficult to understand.
活気のある町に住みたい。
kakki no aru machi ni sumitai.
I want to live in a lively town.
彼のしたことは正しかった。
kare no shita koto wa tadashikatta.
What he had done was right.
When it’s directly followed by a noun, が can’t be replaced with の (as it can be mixed up with the possessive の):
私が山田さんと会ったカフェはここです。
watashi ga yamada-san to atta kafe wa koko desu.
The cafe where I met Mr. Yamada at is here.
[Wrong] 私*の山田さん (my Mr. Yamada???) と会ったカフェはここです。
か (used to make a rhetorical question)
子供を愛さない親がいるか。
kodomo o aisanai oya ga iru ka.
Are there parents who don’t love their children? (= There aren’t!)
こんなにかわいい子犬を捨てるなんてできるか。
konna ni kawaii koinu o suteru nante dekiru ka.
How can you abandon such a cute puppy? (= You can’t!)
こんな難しい文法、わかるか。
konna muzukashii bunpō wakaru ka.
How can I understand such difficult grammar? (= It’s impossible to understand!)
It’s usually used in casual male speech. In casual female speech, か is removed and rising intonation is used at the end of a sentence.
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