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Modifying sentence (?)

staren

先輩
9 Nov 2011
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Hello,

I have a question regarding the sentence below.

このため、東日本大震災で被害を受けた、目めに障害が ある人に「語り部」になってもらい、いろいろな所に行 って経験を話してもらうことにしました。

Does, ...を受けた in this case modify 人? If not please explain the meaning of that part. What has me the most confused is the comma after 受けた.
 
Yes, 受けた modifies 人

The comma is often used in this way for both style and clarity. If there was no comma, as in:

東日本大震災で被害を受けた目に障害がある人に「語り 部」になってもらい。。。

the sentence would sound a bit disorganized and clunky. A comma makes it sound much better. It also reflects how it is actually spoken in Japanese, with a slight pause between 受けた and 目

Also, without a comma, in some sentences (but not this one), there could be ambiguity over whether 受けた modifies 目, or whether it modifies 人, for example, and thus the comma helps show that it actually modifies 人. In this case it's pretty obvious that an eye cannot be affected by an earthquake, but in many contexts it is not so clear.
 
That makes sense.

The first time I read it I read it as it was modifying 目 which as you say makes no real sense. That is why I thought it modified 人. I don't think I've seen a comma between a modifying sentence and a noun which made me want to clarify it.

Thank you for your help! :)
 
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