Help Noun Modification?

[xminus1]

Hello!

In an audio exercise, I've come across the following sentence:

皆と友達になれるいいチャンスだし。​

​

Is なれる modifying the noun チャンス?

This would be straightforward were it not for the interposition of いい. My Minna textbook discusses noun modification thoroughly but this is the first example I've seen where the noun is already modified by an adjective, in addition to the dictionary-form verb.

Thanks!

 

[bentenmusume]

Yes, think of いいチャンス as a single noun phrase.

友達になれる【いいチャンス】

 

[Toritoribe]

In addition, not only adjectives, but "noun + の", modifying phrases or clauses also can be used to modify the same noun.
e.g.
皆と友達になれる最後のチャンス
皆と友達になれる滅多にないチャンス
皆と友達になれる、先生が作ってくれたチャンス

The last example can be rephrased to 先生が作ってくれた、皆と友達になれるチャンス (or more likely, this one sounds more natural). A comma is necessary especially for 皆と友達になれる、先生が作ってくれたチャンス since it can be interpreted that 皆と友達になれる modifies 先生 without a comma. In the same reason, いい皆と友達になれるチャンス sounds awkward even if a comma is put after いい.

As for the tense of the verb in a modifying clause, the speaker is talking about the present chance/opportunity, so the present form is used there. The potential form なれる is a state, so both the present and past form can be used for a past chance. There is no difference in meaning.
e.g.
〇皆と友達になれるいいチャンスだったのに。
〇皆と友達になれたいいチャンスだったのに。

However, the meanings are different between the present and past form for one-off events. The past form is for already-occurred event, and the present tense is for future or present habit. Thus, you can think it's the same as the tense of the main verb in this sense.
e.g.
〇せっかく先生が作ってくれたチャンスをうまく生かせなかった。
〇来月先生が作ってくれるチャンスをちゃんと生かそう。
×皆と友達になれたいいチャンスだから、今夜のパーティーに行こうよ。
×パーティーはいつも皆と友達になれたいいチャンスだ。

 

[xminus1]

Super. Thanks to you both.