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知りもせず...grammar explanation please.

slane_cat

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5 Feb 2017
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Hi,
I saw this 知りもせず in a manga... I've never seen もせ at the end of a verb before. Can you explain what it means and how to use it? Or point me to some reference that will explain it please?

thanks
-s
 
知り: the -masu stem of 知る
: a particle
: 未然形 (the imperfective form/the -nai stem) of a classical verb す, which is corresponding to する in modern Japanese
: 連用形 (the adverbial form/the -masu stem) of a classical negative auxiliary verb ず, which is corresponding to ない in modern Japanese

Thus, it means 知りもしないで/知りさえしないで/知ることもなく even without knowing ~.
 
知り: the -masu stem of 知る
: a particle
: 未然形 (the imperfective form/the -nai stem) of a classical verb す, which is corresponding to する in modern Japanese
: 連用形 (the adverbial form/the -masu stem) of a classical negative auxiliary verb ず, which is corresponding to ない in modern Japanese

Thus, it means 知りもしないで/知りさえしないで/知ることもなく even without knowing ~.
Oh, thanks. Hmmm... don't know anything about classical verbs :( Is it a bit unusual or pretentious to use them? Or is it to create some sort of nuance? The rest of the text seems to be modern Japanese.
 
Classical Japanese still remains in modern Japanese and is relatively commonly used especially in written language, lyrics or proverbs (e.g. 振り向きもせずに、男は去った, 生きとし生ける全てのものへ, かごの中の鳥はいつ出やる, 冬来たりなば春遠からじ). You can think "the -masu stem of verb + もせず(に)" as a kind of set phrase.
 
Oh Thanks. So <Verb>もせず means without even <verb>ing? 知りもせず without even knowing, 食べもせず without even eating etc. ?
 
Exactly.
e.g.
彼はほんとのことを知りもせず(に)いつもいい加減なことを言う。
He often says irresponsible words even without knowing the truth.
彼女は朝食を食べもせず(に)家を出た。
She left home even without eating breakfast.

Note that ~もせず can also mean "not to do and...". ず works as the continuous usage of the -masu stem of verbs in this case, and に can't be attached to it in this meaning.
e.g.
彼は3日間何も食べもせず飲みもしなかった。
He neither ate nor drank anything for three days.
 
Exactly.
e.g.
彼はほんとのことを知りもせず(に)いつもいい加減なことを言う。
He often says irresponsible words even without knowing the truth.
彼女は朝食を食べもせず(に)家を出た。
She left home even without eating breakfast.

Note that ~もせず can also mean "not to do and...". ず works as the continuous usage of the -masu stem of verbs in this case, and に can't be attached to it in this meaning.
e.g.
彼は3日間何も食べもせず飲みもしなかった。
He neither ate nor drank anything for three days.
Who says reading manga is a waste of time?
Thankyou for your help. It's great to learn something new. :)
 
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