Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 42
The tasting
〜んばかりに ・ 〜とばかりに ・ 〜はそっちのけで ・ 〜をいいことに ・ 〜というか〜というか
In this lesson, you will learn to say someone looked about to do something with 〜んばかりに, that an action seemed to say something with 〜とばかりに, that someone pushed one thing aside for another with 〜はそっちのけで, that someone took advantage of a situation with 〜をいいことに, and to grope for the right word with 〜というか〜というか. In Seattle, three café owners Tanaka knows taste みどり町's tea, with Lisa interpreting.
By the end you will be able to say
店主さんは、泣き出さんばかりに 喜んで くれました。One owner was so happy she was nearly in tears.
店主さんは、待ってましたとばかりに、もう 一杯 頼みました。One owner asked for another cup as if to say, 'I've been waiting for this.'
あいさんは、試飲は そっちのけで、コーヒーを 飲んで いました。Ai left the tasting to us and drank coffee.
あいさんは、私が 忙しいのをいいことに、私の ペストリーを 食べました。Ai took advantage of my being busy and ate my pastry.
甘いというか、優しいというか、不思議な 味です。It's sweet, or maybe gentle: a strange taste.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜んばかりに — as if about to ... — A verb's ない-stem + んばかりに says someone looked just about to do something, though they did not.
- 〜とばかりに — as if to say ... — Words + とばかりに says someone's action seemed to say those words, though they did not say them.
- 〜はそっちのけで / 〜をそっちのけで — leaving ... aside — AはそっちのけでB or AをそっちのけでB says someone pushes A, what they should be doing, aside and throws themselves into B.
- 〜をいいことに — taking advantage of ... — AをいいことにB says someone uses situation A as a chance to do B, something they should not.
- 〜というか〜というか — A, or maybe B — AというかBというか tries one word and then another for an impression neither quite captures.