Hello,
1. This is an explanation of the use of ～とのことだ:
「～ということだ」よりも硬い表現。
a) What does も mean here? Could it mean "more" -- i.e. the whole thing means "(It is) a more 硬い expression than 「ということだ」"?
(I know that usually when I ask what も means the answer is "too/also", but I'm hoping that just one time it might be different!)
b) Does 硬い mean "bookish" here? I'm confused because the dictionary gives two completely different yet seemingly applicable definitions: "unpolished (e.g. writing)" and "bookish; formal; stuffy".
2. 手紙によると、元気でやっているとのことです。
I'm guessing this means something like "According to the letter, (he is) in good health."
However, I don't really understand 元気でやっている. Is やる = 遣る? What is the function of で?
3. 今週中には戻られるとのことでしたが、予定が変わった のかもしれませんね。
My guess: "Apparently (he) was intending to return this week, but the plans may have changed."
Is 戻られる honorific or passive? I'm guessing it's honorific. Does the past tense of とのことでした refer to the speaker hearing this information in the past? Is the tense "may have changed" a correct interpretation?
I'm not sure if I may have this sentence all wrong...
4. 「手紙」来月、上京なさるとのこと、楽しみにしており ます。
My translation "I hear that you're visiting Tokyo next month; I'm looking forward to it."
Is 「手紙」 a note saying that, stylistically, the sentence is likely to be written in a letter? Or is it somehow actually part of the sentence?
5. 都心には自然が少ないと聞いていたけれど、実際にはけ っこうあることが分かった。
My translation: "I heard that in the city there was not much 自然, but in fact I found plenty."
a) Could 自然 mean "nature" as in animals and plants and stuff?
b) Is it reasonable here to translate 分かった as "I found"?
1. This is an explanation of the use of ～とのことだ:
「～ということだ」よりも硬い表現。
a) What does も mean here? Could it mean "more" -- i.e. the whole thing means "(It is) a more 硬い expression than 「ということだ」"?
(I know that usually when I ask what も means the answer is "too/also", but I'm hoping that just one time it might be different!)
b) Does 硬い mean "bookish" here? I'm confused because the dictionary gives two completely different yet seemingly applicable definitions: "unpolished (e.g. writing)" and "bookish; formal; stuffy".
2. 手紙によると、元気でやっているとのことです。
I'm guessing this means something like "According to the letter, (he is) in good health."
However, I don't really understand 元気でやっている. Is やる = 遣る? What is the function of で?
3. 今週中には戻られるとのことでしたが、予定が変わった のかもしれませんね。
My guess: "Apparently (he) was intending to return this week, but the plans may have changed."
Is 戻られる honorific or passive? I'm guessing it's honorific. Does the past tense of とのことでした refer to the speaker hearing this information in the past? Is the tense "may have changed" a correct interpretation?
I'm not sure if I may have this sentence all wrong...
4. 「手紙」来月、上京なさるとのこと、楽しみにしており ます。
My translation "I hear that you're visiting Tokyo next month; I'm looking forward to it."
Is 「手紙」 a note saying that, stylistically, the sentence is likely to be written in a letter? Or is it somehow actually part of the sentence?
5. 都心には自然が少ないと聞いていたけれど、実際にはけ っこうあることが分かった。
My translation: "I heard that in the city there was not much 自然, but in fact I found plenty."
a) Could 自然 mean "nature" as in animals and plants and stuff?
b) Is it reasonable here to translate 分かった as "I found"?