Oh also, a grammar question. Also on p23, the very next speech bubble to the one discussed above is “言い訳くさい”
I hadn’t come across 〜くさい before (or if I have I’ve forgotten) - I had a bit of a Google and came across this explanation (【JLPTに出ない？】文法・例文：～くさい | 日本語NET) which does seem like it makes sense in context but I’m not 100% on it. Interested in what others thought.
that’s totally the thing to do, yeah ^^
also, welcome to やが君 
It smells like an excuse.
Thanks! I wasn’t actually too worried about the translation - was just wondering if it was a word that was used more widely as a grammar construction. The article I posted suggests perhaps but the answer is probably just to keep reading and see if it pops up in more places!
It is used quite a lot - my favorite might be オッサンくさい
Wanikani has 面倒臭い (めんどうくさい) in level 22 which would seem to be in that vein.
Also noticed that this suffix usage is given in jisho.org entry for 臭い
Question about page 44 in chapter 2:
In the bottom middle panel of the page 佐伯 says: 「一年生のうち二人も反対はよみあやまったわね」
The verb is confusing me here. 読み誤る is “to misread” a kanji, a situation, etc. But I’m not clear how that’s working with the two first years who are opposed. Any thoughts?
My interpretation was that she “misread” that two of the first years would be opposed. She expected them to be willing to go along with it, but in reality they are against it.
I had some grammar questions about the recent chapter 10:
On p.138 七海さん says「せっかくならオリジナルでやりたいけどなあ」about the play. I’m not familiar with the phrase 「せっかくなら」, and it’s doesn’t seem to mean “if it’s a rare opportunity”, like a plain reading would suggest. In this sentence it seems to hold the same meaning as 「せっかくから」, meaning “since it’s a rare opportunity”. Are せっかくなら and せっかくから analogous, or is there some distinction in their meaning (or just a typo)?
On p. 156 七海さん says 「死んでも言われたくない」. I’m kind of missing exactly what this phrase means in the conversation. The way it breaks down in my head is 死んでも “even if I die”, 言われたくない “I don’t want it to be said (regarding previous discussion about some people preferring the real version of 七海さん)”. Is this correct? It doesn’t quite seem to flow with the conversation correctly for me, but I could be wrong.
On an unrelated note, will we be continuing with the next volume?
For 1, 「折角なら」の類義語や言い換え・同義語-Weblio類語辞典
For 2,
言われたくない is actually a pretty common sentiment and its more of the ‘suffering passive,’ meaning it isn’t that she doesn’t want something to be said, but that she doesn’t want something to be said to her.
A common, sort ofツッコミ is like, なんであんたにそんなこと言われないといけないの？ which is like, “why do I have to deal with you saying this to me?” or “what right do you have to say that to me?”
So it’s that same suffering passive.
So she’s saying she’d rather die than be told that.
Edit: fyi I think the concept of a suffering passive fell out of vogue several years ago but I haven’t paid attention to grammar like that in years and don’t know how people talk about it now and am at work and can’t look into it now <3
Thank you. Your explanations were very clear.
in context i read it as “i would rather be dead than that you told me that you love me”.
i finished volume 2 about 2 weeks ago, but i’ve had a super busy time, and haven’t been able to check in here. i’m afraid that i can’t really help much with grammar, it’s definitely a week point for me.
i liked volume 2. in volume 1 we get to know the characters a bit, there’s a bit of a setup for a romance, but it stays nice and fluffy. the only real points of drama are “why are you so obsessed with that new girl” and “i’m much more nervous that i let on, really i’m quite anxious”.
volume 2 gets much darker. for one, they’ve been discovered. and Koito finds out about Nanami’s sister. but i think most important is the setup which happens in that scene on the river, with the stepping stones. Nanami needs love, but can’t accept it. and Koito wants to love, but has been forbidden from showing it. they both want to be together, but can’t. it’s a real crisis in their relationship.
and as Nanami sets forth her conditions, and Koito accepts them and advances step by step, Koito is step by step shutting off the love which is starting to bud in her. it becomes a part of her which she can’t express anymore.
i’ve been in that situation, where i had to lock away part of who i am, in order to be with someone. and though i thought it worthwhile, it is a very painful price to pay.
i don’t know whether or in what form the bookclub will continue? but i do have all 8 volumes, and i definitely want to finish reading them ^^
Not sure where to post this so I’ll post here.
If anyone is in the US and wants all 8 volumes of this series I’ll send them to you so long as you cover shipping. I’m planning on moving soon and need to get rid of them anyways, but would rather not throw them away. If you’re interested, I have a handful of other books I can include in the package if you want, but just lemme know.
That scene is really well executed in both the manga and the anime
If you’re not able to find anyone else, I would be willing to take them off your hands. I already have the series, but have some friends who are learning Japanese who I could give them to. Same goes for any other books you’re trying to get rid of.
Sure, works for me. I was going to originally go to my japanese club at universtiy and give them away to other learners similar to what you described but with corona they stopped meeting.
Add me on discord Vanilla#4107 if you have it and ill letcha know what else i have and we can work out the deets
I only have up to volume 3 so if you don’t particularly need them, I’d like them.
I’m fine with that. You’ll just need to talk to Vanilla.
Ye add me on discord
added! I’m Slime