Demonstrative ?

downinit · 13 Sep 2012

I know about kore, sore, are, kono, etc. I also know that korera can be used to indicate these. My question is can you use konora to indicate these (noun)?

(E.G.: Would these students be written as : このがくせい or このらがくせい ?)

Also, am I correct that kono/sono/ano is always used whenever there is a noun following the demonstrative word, regardless of what kind of noun/person/object is being referred to?

Thank you

Mike Cash · 13 Sep 2012

Put the "ra" after the noun. You're correct on all else.

downinit · 13 Sep 2012

Thank you for clearing that up.

dwcarless · 13 Sep 2012

Can you use これら as a のadjective, like これらのスーツケース?

Also, is there a hard, fast rule for using ら vs たち? Like would you use 彼女ら or is it 彼女達? I heard earlier that 達 was usually for animate objects, but I am curious if ら can be used for anything or just for inanimate objects.

Toritoribe · 14 Sep 2012

dwcarless said:
Can you use これら as a のadjective, like これらのスーツケース?

Yes, but it's just "demonstrative pronoun + possessive particle の + noun", not an adjective.

dwcarless said:
Also, is there a hard, fast rule for using ら vs たち? Like would you use 彼女ら or is it 彼女達? I heard earlier that 達 was usually for animate objects, but I am curious if ら can be used for anything or just for inanimate objects.

Neither たち nor ら is used for inanimated objects. これら, それら and あれら are just exceptions. ら is basically not used for superiors. Also, たち is hardly used for the ones the speaker has respect for. 方[がた], (e.g. 先生方) is used for the case.

dwcarless · 14 Sep 2012

Thanks! That explains it perfectly

downinit · 18 Sep 2012

Would a tree or a fruit be considered an animate object in Japanese? I can see the tree, but not so much the fruit, yet they were linked together by my typology professor.

Also, if fruit is inanimate, このりんご could be translated as 'this apple' or 'these apples' ??

Thanks again.

Toritoribe · 18 Sep 2012

downinit said:
Would a tree or a fruit be considered an animate object in Japanese?

No. ら/たち are basically for people/animal. But if you call them fondly(you are a farmer and lovingly care for apples), りんごたち can be used.

downinit said:
Also, if fruit is inanimate, このりんご could be translated as 'this apple' or 'these apples' ??

Both are possible. When you want to make it clear it's plural, これらのりんご is used.

Demonstrative ?

downinit

後輩

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

downinit

後輩

dwcarless

先輩

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

dwcarless

先輩

downinit

後輩

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

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