FF7R Famitsu Article

Japanese Language Questions
#1

Hello everyone.

Yesterday, both the English speaking and Japanese speaking world got some news regarding the FF7 Remake. Heres the English, and the Japanese.
The English is a good translation of the Japanese with a few minor details missing. I thought it would make for some good reading practice.

My question is what are Sephiroth and President Shinra saying in these two quotes?
Sephiroth: [星が死のうとしている。悲鳴もあげず、静かに、ゆっくりと]
Is this a form of ようとする? Is the planet trying to die? Is he saying the planet should die? The planet is dying?
President Shinra: 「足りないと、嘆く者ほど浪費する」
ほど Always confuses me.
Non hyperlinks: https://www.famitsu.com/news/201912/17188978.html
https://square-enix-games.com/en_GB/news/final-fantasy-vii-remake-screenshots-info

#2

There is another meaning of ようとしている, and that is a grammar point that points to something that is about to happen.

While it does use the volitional form, it doesn’t signify volition in this case. I’m sure there’s a linguistic explanation to why that is, but my guess is that trying to explain Japanese grammar in English leads to simplifying things for the sake of convenience and leaving out a lot of nuance, but that’s neither here or there so let’s leave it at that.

As for ほど, it’s basic meaning is to convey the extent, degree, amount of something in comparison to a concept. “As much as” would be a way to translate it.

For example saying 動けなくなるほど走った, the meaning is that the amount of running that was done was as much as the amount that’s needed to become unable to move. Or simply put, “I ran so hard I couldn’t move anymore”

My problem with the 足りないと、嘆く者ほど浪費する is I don’t know the context. Assuming they’re talking about something that’s quantifiable, the main part is 足りないと浪費する, “if it’s not enough we’ll waste it” (not sure that makes sense). How much do we waste? As much as one who laments?.. (or maybe, enough to make someone lament? but the grammar doesn’t support it so frankly I’m not really sure). That’s the way I’d parse it grammatically, but without knowing the context I’m not confident it makes sense…

Maybe someone else can chime in about this point

Disclaimer: I don’t know anything about FF7

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#3

Thanks, I found an article explaining that meaning of ようとしている, ended up over thinking it and forgot I had read it in the first place lol.

I think the context surrounding the quote might be that he causes a disaster, killing his own citizens in order to frame the main characters of the game and provide a pretext for war. I kinda forgot about that. I feel like I’m getting closer to what he’s getting at. It’s something like if the extent of what he does isn’t enough for the bereaved, he will waste “it.” Maybe.

#4

Ok, I think I get it. Does this make sense? “If it’s not enough, I’ll go as far as wasting/consuming/expending/using? the bereaved”

I think the ほど here acts like a も to express the idea of “I would even do that”

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#5

I think so. At the very least I know the intent of what he’s hinting at doing. I was initially confused at what 嘆く者ほど meant, but there’s a clear cause and effect relationship here I can see now. Thanks.

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