酷く変わる

[Rinilex]

In the report, it says "it feels like a lot of time has passed (since the incident.) それはそう私自身が酷く変わってしまったからだろう。 "

I think it means "that's because I've changed myself", but what does 酷く変わる mean? I know 酷い has negative connotations, so is it "I've changed (badly/ for the worse), or could it be "I've changed greatly" - i.e. an extreme amount?

And in this sentence:

晴れ渡る蒼穹を見上げる度に、もう一度戻れはしまいか と、あの頃のことを思い出す。

I understand he's saying that when he looks up at the sky, he (goes back?) and remembers that time, but what does the 戻れはしまいかと mean here?

 

[Toritoribe]

The latter. 酷く refers to the degree of change there.

まい is (a bit classical) an auxiliary verb for negative presumption. It's equevalent to ～ないだろう in modern Japanese, thus, ～まいか is the same as ～ないだろうか which expresses the speaker's wish.

 

[Rinilex]

1) Thanks!

2) Sorry, I don't really understand. How does the negative express the speaker's wish? I don't think I've come across it before.
I thought the と was quotation, but then in this case it's "when/ if"?

 

[Toritoribe]

もう一度戻れはしないだろうか / もう一度戻れないだろうか
Wouldn't it be possible to go back to that time? (= I want to go back to that time (even though I know it's impossible).)

Tip1;
～ないだろうか can be a humble request or an invitation depending on the context.

買い物に行ってくれないだろうか。（＝買い物に行ってくれない（か）？）
Wouldn't it be possible for you to go shopping for me? (= I want you to go shopping for me.)

Tip2;
The affirmative question has the similar meaning, but it often expresses just a guess "I wonder~". On the ather hand the negative question is more polite than affirmative or often connotes it's impossible.

もう一度戻れるだろうか
I wonder I can go back to that time.

買い物に行ってくれるだろうか。
I wonder someone will go shopping for me.


と is for quotation, as you interpretaed correctly.

 

[Rinilex]

Thanks for taking the time to explain, I think I understand it now.
So, "each time I look up at the clear blue sky, I wish I could go back once more as I remember those days." Perhaps?

Also, is there a difference in nuance between 蒼穹 and 青空? The kanji used in the former don't seem to be as common.

 

[Toritoribe]

あの頃のことを思い出す is the main clause.
Each time…, I remember~ while wishing....

The former sounds more solemn.

 

[Rinilex]

Got it, thank you!

(To anyone):

1) The speaker says he was always alone outside of lessons, so he "庭のベンチで本を読むことにしていた."
Is the ことにしていた the past form of ことにしている, or ことにする?

2) よほど日本人が珍しいのか、興味半分に話しかけてくる輩は後を絶たなかった。
What does the のか do here? I see it a lot but I've never properly learned what it means. Does it indicate he's not certain that's the reason they're talking to him? And does 興味半分に work like 面白半分に - they talked to him out of interest/ half-interested?

 

[Toritoribe]

1)
The former. It expresses a past habit.

2)
Yes and yes. のか (or からか) is an uncertain version of ので(/ から).