Text from the movie Tales from Earthsea I have two questions, the first and main question being what does the sentence あるものなれ mean? What is the なれ, is it part of 物慣れる or a conjugation of なる? what does it add to the meaning. The second question what is the せる after the 飛翔 If it is the causative せる, then why is it here?
あるものなれ
- Thread starter Navig
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- 12 Oct 2013
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Hi Navig,
Since it's a poem, you might not find the answer 100% satisfactory because it doesn't conform to everyday spoken/written Japanese. But:
ものなれ - As you guessed, this seems to be 物慣れ, the noun form of 物慣れる. At least, that's how I interpret it. (Or, I should say that's how I interpret it after searching around on the internet for a while...)
飛翔 - normally hishō, but in this context my guess is とば（せる）
Since it's a poem, you might not find the answer 100% satisfactory because it doesn't conform to everyday spoken/written Japanese. But:
ものなれ - As you guessed, this seems to be 物慣れ, the noun form of 物慣れる. At least, that's how I interpret it. (Or, I should say that's how I interpret it after searching around on the internet for a while...)
飛翔 - normally hishō, but in this context my guess is とば（せる）
- 22 Feb 2008
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It's written in classical Japanese.
なれ is 已然形, which is equivalent to 仮定形 (-ba conditional stem) in modern Japanese, of an auxiliary verb for assertion なり. 已然形 is used there because of 係り結び of the particle こそ. You can think it as copula だ/である.
なり［助動］の意味 - 国語辞書 - goo辞書
係り結び - Wikipedia
せ is 未然形 (imperfective form) of す, which is equivalent to する, and る is 連体形(attributive form) of an auxiliary verb for perfect tense り. You can think it as している or した.
すの意味 - 古文辞書 - Weblio古語辞典
り［助動］の意味 - 国語辞書 - goo辞書
輝ける is also "輝く + り", thus, the verse means as follows in modern Japanese (and therefore the given translation is not correct).
ことばは沈黙に
光は闇に
生は死の中にこそ
あるものである
飛翔しているタカが
虚空でこそ
輝いているように
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Thank you very much for the detailed explanation.
This is too interesting, I need to get to classical japanese (later on).
Could you please provide a translation for
あるものである
Does it come to show that the the 3 sentences above are each similiar to the following analog of the hawk?
なり is the same as in the sentences such as: 知識は力なり
- 22 Feb 2008
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～ものだ/である is a set phrase.
The difference between ものだ and ことだ | Japan Forum
Yes, it represents;
ことばは沈黙の中にこそあるものである
光は闇の中にこそあるものである
生は死の中にこそあるものである
Exactly. It still remains in modern Japanese often in set phrases or proverbs like as follows.
時は金なり
Time is money.
義を見てせざるは勇無きなり
Knowing what is right and not doing it is a want of courage.
好きこそものの上手なれ
What one likes, one will do well.
