Japanese from zero · N1 Lesson 51
Writing the speech
〜ならでは ・ 忌み言葉 (words a wedding avoids) ・ 〜なくしては ・ 〜ばこそ
In this lesson, you will learn to name a good quality that only one person or place has with 〜ならでは, to keep the words a wedding speech avoids (忌み言葉) out of your own and say what goes in their place, to say that something could not have happened without someone with 〜なくしては, and to stress the one true reason with 〜ばこそ. It is March, a month before Tanaka and Sakura's wedding, and Lisa is writing her friend's speech at the Satos' kitchen table.
By the end you will be able to say
これは みどり町ならではの お茶です。This is a tea only Midori-machi has.
お祝いの 席では、『切れる』は 禁物です。At a celebration, 切れる is a word to avoid.
家族の 支えなくしては、留学は できませんでした。Without my family's support, I could not have studied abroad.
お二人が いて くれればこそ、今の 私が あります。It is because the two of you were there that I am who I am today.
結びに、お二人の 幸せを 心から 願って います。In closing, I wish you both every happiness from my heart.
The grammar in this lesson
- 〜ならでは — that only (this person or place) has — Noun + ならではの + noun names a good quality that only that person, place or group has.
- 忌み言葉 — the words a wedding speech avoids (切れる, 別れる, 終わる, 重ね重ね) — A wedding speech leaves out words of cutting, parting and ending, and doubled words, so 最後に becomes 結びに.
- 〜なくしては — without (this), it could not be — Noun + なくしては + a negative says something could not happen or exist without that thing.
- 〜ばこそ — precisely because — A verb's ば-form + こそ stresses that this, and nothing else, is the reason; formal and a little literary.