Use of grammar... もいるば ~もいる

[letslearn]

Hi guys,

can someone please check my interpretation of this sentence.

The context is they are talking about the appearance of 座敷わらしい．

This is my first encounter with the use of the grammar もいれば…～もいる。

姿を見せるときは犬や猫になると言う人もいれば、その 家の主人とそっくりだったと言う人もいるわ。

When the 座敷わらしい appear, some people say they look like dogs or cats, some say they are the spitting image of the master of the house.

よろしくお願いします

 

[Majestic]

Yes, you've got it. I would probably translate it as:

There are some people who say they look like dogs or cats, and there are others that say they look exactly like the master of the house. (or, spitting image, as you wrote).

Or;

There are those who say they look like dogs or cats, and there are still others who say they look exactly like the master of the house.

"Master of the house" is a bit old fashioned, but in lieu of a better term I think we're stuck with it. Head of the house, maybe?

 

[letslearn]

and there are still others who say

ありがとうございましたmajesticさん、
The way you said "and there are still others...."
Is a much better way to say it for sure.

 

[letslearn]

Hi guys,
Just on the same topic... it is a similar grammar point.

The context is different events that happen around the 座敷わらし e.g if you give them a nice greeting every day they will take care of your family and pets. If you don't you may end up in the hospital etc.

こちらの気持ちひとつで、福の神にもなれば、びんぼう神にもなるってわけ。

I get the feeling that it is making an assertion that... that's why it said there are both sides, i.e.

When there is a god of fortune there is always a god of poverty.

こちらの気持ちひとつで、. Is this "because of this one feeling"

Am I on the right track?

よろしくお願いします

 

[Toritoribe]

わけ doesn't mean "reason". That's just for assertion, similar to ～ってこと.

福の神にもなれば、びんぼう神にもなる
That's not ある. The subject is 座敷わらし.

こちらの means "my/our".

～ひとつで: just

ひとつ【一つ】
3 〔…だけ〕
女手一つで5人の子供を育てた
She brought up her five children alone.
社長の考え一つで決まる
It depends ultimately on the president's decision.

ひとつ【一つ】の英語・英訳 - 和英辞書 - goo辞書

 

[letslearn]

Oh so the 座敷わらし is the subject.

こちらの気持ちひとつで. This sounds like the English in my opinion.

It is just my feeling that some 座敷わらし become gods of fortune (lucky spirits?) still others become gods of poverty (unlucky spirits)

 

[Toritoribe]

こちらの気持ちひとつで is more likely "just by our attitude/depending just on our attitude (toward 座敷わらし)"; "you give them a nice greeting every day" or "you don't", for example. That sentence explains that 座敷わらし can be changed (either good or bad) depending on our attitude toward them.

 

[letslearn]

Thanks toritoribesan,

That で at the end of ひとつで is similar to the particle で to show how or means?

By our feelings/by our attitude etc..

 

[Toritoribe]

That's right. This で is exactly the particle で you mentioned. ひとつ(just) is inserted between こちらの気持ち(our attitude) and で(by).

こちらの気持ちで福の神になる --> こちらの気持ちひとつで福の神になる
女手で5人の子供を育てた --> 女手一つで5人の子供を育てた
社長の考えで決まる --> 社長の考え一つで決まる

 

[letslearn]

ありがとうございました。