外国語学部 / 不意を討たれて私 / 先 / にとって

Hi,


1. A Japanese person is talking about his university course in Japan, and mentions 外国語学部の日本語学科. I believe 外国語学部 means "foreign languages department", and 日本語学科 something like "Japanese language studies", but I can't quite put the two together with の, since, in Japan, 日本語 is obviously not a 外国語. So, what is the correct interpretation?


2. 不意を討たれて私は何も言う事を思い付かなかった。

Translation give: "Taken by surprise, I couldn't think of anything to say."

Is there any difference in meaning between the above sentence and:

不意を討たれた私は何も言う事を思い付かなかった。

?


3. Two people are talking, and one has just agreed that travelling in Tokyo in the rush hour is difficult. Then the other says:

先が思いやられますね。

I can't figure this out. What does 先 mean here? Could it be referring to the other person in the conversation? Is 思いやられます passive or honorific?


4. The context is the climate of Oregon compared to Tokyo.

東京にいる者にとってはちょっとうらやましいですね。

In this case I am not sure of the function of にとって. I thought the sentence meant "(People in Oregon) are slightly envious of those living in Tokyo", but the context seems to suggest "People living in Tokyo are slightly envious (of those living in Oregon)". Which is it?

1. It could be merely for convenience. Or it could be for foreign learners. Japanese don't study 日本語 as a general thing; they study 国語.

1.
日本語学科 is a part of 外国語学部, along with 英語学科、フランス語学科、ドイツ語学科、中国語学科, for instance.
And to Japanese speaker, it is obvious that 日本語学科 is where foreign students are learning Japanese, which is a foreign language for them, as 日本語 is 国語 for native speakers as Mike san mentioned.

2.
不意を討たれて私は何も言う事を思い付かなかった。
"Taken by surprise, I couldn't think of anything to say."
て here means two things happened in succession.
First 'I' was taken by surprise, and then (or consequently) could not think of anything to say.

不意を討たれた私は何も言う事を思い付かなかった。
不意を討たれた modifies 私.
I, who was taken by surprise, could not think of anything to say.

3.
先 here means future, what is going to happen after the time of this conversation.

思いやられる passive, it is a set phrase.
縺翫ｂ縺・ｄ繧九€先€昴＞驕｣繧九€代・諢丞袖 - 蝗ｽ隱櫁ｾ樊嶌 - goo霎樊嶌

おもい‐や・る〔おもひ‐〕【思い▽遣る】
［動ラ五（四）］
１ 他人の身の上や心情を推し量って、同情する。また、配慮する。「被災者の生活を―・る」
２ 遠く隔たっている人や物事を思う。思いをはせる。「故郷の母を―・る」「老後を―・る」
３ （「おもいやられる」の形で）悪くなりそうだと心配される。案じられる。「これからが―・られる」


4.
東京にいる者にとってはちょっとうらやましいですね。
For the people in Tokyo, (the climate in Oregon) is something they are slightly envious about.

or

For the people in Tokyo, (people living in Oregon) is something they are slightly envious about (because of having nice climate.)

Thanks guys!

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