Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 36
The town's tea
〜にまつわる ・ 〜きっての ・ 〜といい〜といい ・ 〜といわず〜といわず ・ 〜と言えなくもない
In this lesson, you will learn to talk about the stories that surround something with 〜にまつわる, to call someone the very best in a place with 〜きっての, to judge one thing by two of its features with 〜といい〜といい, to say something happens everywhere or all the time with 〜といわず〜といわず, and to make a careful, half-sure claim with 〜と言えなくもない. Lisa is back at the Satos' for Sunday dinner, with an idea for みどり町's tea.
By the end you will be able to say
この 町には、お茶にまつわる 話が たくさん あります。This town has a lot of stories about tea.
おばあちゃんの 幼なじみは、町きっての 茶農家です。Grandma's childhood friend is the best tea farmer in town.
この お茶は、色といい 香りといい、有名な ブランドにも 負けません。In its color and its aroma alike, this tea is a match for any famous brand.
シアトルの 人は、朝といわず 夜といわず コーヒーを 飲みます。People in Seattle drink coffee morning and night alike.
お茶の ブームが 始まって いると言えなくもない。You could say a tea boom has started.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜にまつわる — about; connected with (stories, memories) — A noun + にまつわる + a noun names the stories, legends or memories that have grown up around something.
- 〜きっての — the very best in (a place or group) — A place or group + きっての + a noun says someone or something is the finest of all in it.
- 〜といい〜といい — in both A and B (judging one thing) — Two features of one thing, each with といい, lead to one judgment about it.
- 〜といわず〜といわず — A, B, everywhere; all the time — Two nouns, each with といわず, stand for a whole range: something happens all over or all the time.
- 〜と言えなくもない — you could say (in a way) — A plain sentence + と言えなくもない makes a careful, half-sure claim: seen a certain way, it is true.