Hiya,
1. もしにおいを説明するのに、「いい香り」と「臭い」し か言葉がなかったら寂しい。そのにおいを相手に伝えた いたと思えば、それと似ている香りを探して、「バラの 花のような香りがする」とか「卵が腐ったみたいなにお いがする」と表現することができる。
My translation (not the most polished English ever written, but don't worry about that!): "When you're describing a smell, it would be dull if the only words were 'sweet smell' or 'bad smell'. If you're thinking of explaining this smell to someone else, then, seeking a smell which resembles it, expressions such as 'it smells like roses' or 'it smells like rotten eggs' are possible."
a) In the first sentence, does のに have the sense of "in order to"? I dread のに because it seems to have so many meanings...
b) In the first sentence, I was a bit puzzled by the use of 寂しい. Is the idea of this essentially that the language would be "sparse" if 「いい香り」 and 「臭い」 were the only words to describe smells?
c) In the second sentence, does 思えば have the sense like "If you're thinking of..." as I translated it? Or is it more just like English "When you want to..."?
2. ほかにも友情とは何か、恋とは何かなど、いろいろなこ とについて格言、名言がある。
I'm guessing this means "In addition, there are aphorisms and wise sayings about all sorts of subjects, such as friendship, love, and so on."
However, this is a bit of a stab in the dark since I don't understand the grammar or meaning of ～とは何か.
3. 君なら、英語もできるし、じゃ、君に、行ってもらうこ とにしようか。
My translation: "Well, since you can speak English, maybe I'll have you go (on a proposed business trip)."
What is the nuance of か here? Is "maybe (I'll have you go)" a reasonable interpretation?
1. もしにおいを説明するのに、「いい香り」と「臭い」し か言葉がなかったら寂しい。そのにおいを相手に伝えた いたと思えば、それと似ている香りを探して、「バラの 花のような香りがする」とか「卵が腐ったみたいなにお いがする」と表現することができる。
My translation (not the most polished English ever written, but don't worry about that!): "When you're describing a smell, it would be dull if the only words were 'sweet smell' or 'bad smell'. If you're thinking of explaining this smell to someone else, then, seeking a smell which resembles it, expressions such as 'it smells like roses' or 'it smells like rotten eggs' are possible."
a) In the first sentence, does のに have the sense of "in order to"? I dread のに because it seems to have so many meanings...
b) In the first sentence, I was a bit puzzled by the use of 寂しい. Is the idea of this essentially that the language would be "sparse" if 「いい香り」 and 「臭い」 were the only words to describe smells?
c) In the second sentence, does 思えば have the sense like "If you're thinking of..." as I translated it? Or is it more just like English "When you want to..."?
2. ほかにも友情とは何か、恋とは何かなど、いろいろなこ とについて格言、名言がある。
I'm guessing this means "In addition, there are aphorisms and wise sayings about all sorts of subjects, such as friendship, love, and so on."
However, this is a bit of a stab in the dark since I don't understand the grammar or meaning of ～とは何か.
3. 君なら、英語もできるし、じゃ、君に、行ってもらうこ とにしようか。
My translation: "Well, since you can speak English, maybe I'll have you go (on a proposed business trip)."
What is the nuance of か here? Is "maybe (I'll have you go)" a reasonable interpretation?
