異文化 / が / 使っていただけ / そんなことくらいで

Hi,


仕事や勉強で来日する外国人の数も増えたため、日本に いながら外国人と接する機会も増え、「異文化」は身近 になった。しかし、私は友人との会話や自分の体験を通 じて「異文化」はもっと身近なところにもあるのではな いかと思うようになった。

I believe this means: "As the number of foreigners coming to work or study in Japan has increased, the opportunity to come into contact with foreigners in Japan has also increased, and 'foreign cultures' have become more familiar. However, through talking to friends and my own personal experience, I've come to wonder whether .... ??? ...."

Then I'm stuck. I can't get any meaning out of 「異文化」はもっと身近なところにもある that provides the expected contrast with the first sentence.


2. 私は誰が黒幕が知っている。

Translation given: "I know who is pulling the strings."

How does this は ... が ... が structure work grammatically? It would make more sense to me if the second が was を.


3. あなたは彼が仮病を使っていただけだと思いますか。

Translation given: "Do you think he was only making believe that he was sick?"

What is 使っていただけ? Is there an expression 使っていただける meaning "to pretend"?


4. The writer has been explaining how her friend used to complain because her husband did not finish up all his rice at mealtimes, which she (the friend) thought was bad manners. Then the writer says:

私はそんなことくらいで、と思ったが、「あとで問題に ならないように慰謝料のことはちゃんと決めた上で別れ るのよ」と冗談半分で言ってあげた。

What does そんなことくらいで mean here?

1)
身近なところ refers to "daily (usual) life". The writer says that 異文化 exists also in daily life, not only in the communication with foreigners.

2)
That's a typo of 私は誰が黒幕か知っている. (かを also can be used, but か is essential anyway since 誰 is there.)

3)
使っていた + だけ(only)

4)
such a trivial thing(= her hasband's manner)

Thank you! Oops, (3) was a kind of dumb mistake...

4) Could you explain the grammatical/functional purpose of で? I would more expect そんなことくらいだ、と思った.

It's "by". There is an omission そんなことくらいで怒るのかな or something in the clause.

OK, thanks.