どうこうという話でもない

[zuotengdazuo]

Hi. How should I understand the どうこうという話でもない?
By the way, can we omit the circled という without changing the meaning?
Thank you.

 

[Toritoribe]

How should I understand the どうこうという話でもない?

どうこう（と）言う is a set expression, meaning "to say something (often "to make complaints/objections")".

By the way, can we omit the circled という without changing the meaning?

As you can see above, no.

 

[zuotengdazuo]

Thank you.

どうこう（と）言う is a set expression, meaning "to say something (often "to make complaints/objections")".

So the whole sentence mean "士道 is not in a position to say something (complaints/objections)"?

As you can see above, no.

Sorry, but what nuance does this という add? Normally we'd just say まるで...ように to mean "as if", don't we?

 

[Toritoribe]

So the whole sentence mean "士道 is not in a position to say something (complaints/objections)"?

Right.

Sorry, but what nuance does this という add? Normally we'd just say まるで...ように to mean "as if", don't we?

Oh, sorry. I misunderstood that it referred to という in どうこうという話でもない.
I think it's common to put という there. It can be grammatically valid even without という, but the sentence could be misinterpreted as "in order to" if という isn't there. (Notice that まるで～ない can mean "not ~ at all".)

 

[zuotengdazuo]

Thank you again. I see.

 

[zuotengdazuo]

Hi. Can I ask one more question? Does the 話 in どうこうという話でもない mean "matter"?

 

[Toritoribe]

Yes.

 

[zuotengdazuo]

Thank you.