Introduction to そう

dhmkhkk · 29 Jun 2017

Hi everyone,

I would like to have a small introduction to how そう is used... I came across it in a sentence:
Machikado de wa sou dare mo ga isoideta (街角ではそうだれもが急いでた ).

What function does this little thingy have exactly? A few examples would also be gereat. Thanks a lot!!

Toritoribe · 29 Jun 2017

It's actually そう、街角ではだれもが急いでた, and そう means "yes/certainly/exactly/surely". The main purpose to insert そう there is to fit to the rhythm/melody in that case, as is often the case with lyrics.
examples (all from lyrics)
色とりどりの優しさが今ではそう何よりの宝物だよ

適度に気楽に手を抜こう
心の中まではそうしばれやしない

君なしではそう水に浮いた葉の船の用

そうまるであの頃と何も変わらない

まるで全てがそうまるで何もかも全てのことが上手くいっているかのように見えるよね

やばいと感じた本能的に繰り返すそうまるで媚薬のようで深く深くはまってく濡れたその唇に
(The last two lines are good examples that how not-so-important phrases are inserted or how irregularly the word order is twisted for the rhythm/melody in lyrics, in other words, how inappropriate lyrics are as a material of learning Japanese especially for beginners.)

dhmkhkk · 29 Jun 2017

Toritoribe said:
It's actually そう、街角ではだれもが急いでた, and そう means "yes/certainly/exactly/surely". The main purpose to insert そう there is to fit to the rhythm/melody in that case, as is often the case with lyrics.
examples (all from lyrics)
色とりどりの優しさが今ではそう何よりの宝物だよ

適度に気楽に手を抜こう
心の中まではそうしばれやしない

君なしではそう水に浮いた葉の船の用

そうまるであの頃と何も変わらない

まるで全てがそうまるで何もかも全てのことが上手くいっているかのように見えるよね

やばいと感じた本能的に繰り返すそうまるで媚薬のようで深く深くはまってく濡れたその唇に
(The last two lines are good examples that how not-so-important phrases are inserted or how irregularly the word order is twisted for the rhythm/melody in lyrics, in other words, how inappropriate lyrics are as a material of learning Japanese especially for beginners.)

Hi Toritoribe,

thanks I will translate this song even if it's the last thing I do. Have you ever been obsessed over something and just couldn't let it go?

Another question. This is from a dictionary (another meaning of sou):
in that way (concerning the actions of the listener or concerning the ideas expressed or understood by the listener; with a neg. sentence, implies that something isn't as much as one might think); thus; such.

Could you please give me a few examples of this since it's quite a peculiar explanation... Is it even the same "sou" as in the song?

Toritoribe · 30 Jun 2017

dhmkhkk said:
I will translate this song even if it's the last thing I do. Have you ever been obsessed over something and just couldn't let it go?

I just pointed out that song lyrics are inappropriate as a learning material. There is no problem to translate lyrics for fun (it would be a tough work, though).

dhmkhkk said:
Could you please give me a few examples of this since it's quite a peculiar explanation

しかしこの日この瞬間は二度と再びめぐってはこない。僕らは等しくそう考え、絶望したのだった。

どんなやり方でもいいから、体を疲れさせましょう。そうすればぐっすり眠れます。

季節はずれの暖かさ―お天気キャスターならそう呼ぶだろう。

そもそも、退屈というのが、そう悪くないものなのだ。

この異変はそう長くは続かなかった。

都心から一時間ちょっとで行くから、そう遠く離れた町ではない。
(all from novels)

dhmkhkk said:
Is it even the same "sou" as in the song?

These are an adverb, but the ones in the song lyrics(including the examples in my previous post) are an interjection.

dhmkhkk · 30 Jun 2017

Thank you, sensei And I'm sorry I am going to be posting a lot more questions from now on... Because for me it's extremely difficult to learn Japanese on my own.

よろしくお願いします...

Toritoribe · 1 Jul 2017

No need to apologize. This is exactly the place for that purpose.

Introduction to そう

dhmkhkk

後輩

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

dhmkhkk

後輩

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

dhmkhkk

後輩

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

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