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気づかなかったって - Grammar help

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watermen
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気づかなかったって - Grammar help

Postby watermen » February 11th, 2008 2:33 pm

What does って in the phrase 気づかなかったって mean?

I got this phrase from Lower Intermediate Lesson #8. It explains the meaning as I didn't notice it.

Elfunko
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Postby Elfunko » February 11th, 2008 2:55 pm

Could mean, "I said I didn't notice it." Or, "He/you said you didn't notice it?"

Maybe another. Can I buy a vowel or perhaps see it in context for 1,000 Alex?

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Javizy
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Postby Javizy » February 11th, 2008 4:16 pm

Somebody asked about this the other day: http://www.japanesepod101.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2602

watermen
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Postby watermen » February 11th, 2008 9:55 pm

What I also don't understand why って need to be used in this sentence? Please refer to LI lesson #8.

Elfunko
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Postby Elfunko » February 11th, 2008 10:04 pm

Sorry mang, not subscribed at the moment so that's impossible. But what Javizy wrote on the other thread is spot on. Especially as は and also as と言った, its a very useful piece of grammar. You'll hear it at least 3.5 million times a day in both those usages. :)

プチクレア
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Postby プチクレア » February 11th, 2008 10:18 pm

I think in this instance ってis used to quote the character. Instead of saying "you didn't notice ? what does it mean ?" (山口さんが気づきませんでしたか?どの意味のことですか?”), the ってallows 金田 to directly quote 山口 and say "you say you didn't notice ? what do YOU mean ?" I know it might seem a fine point, but I'd say that in the first instance you could answer by "I was looking the other way ", "I wasn't there when that happened" or any such thing, while in the second instance you're asking for an explanation for the previous sentence.
さっぱり分からない !...

Javizy
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Postby Javizy » February 11th, 2008 10:50 pm

I just noticed Claire's post, but here's what I wrote anyway :lol:

The dialogue goes:

1: 気づかなかった
2: 気づかなかったって?どういういみ?

Like I said in the post I linked you to, a lot of the time「って」is used to infer common phrases, so it's all about making an informed guess as to what that phrase is. In this case, B is simply repeating what A said, so it could be「って言った?」or a broken up 「って言うのはどういういみ?」.

I'm pretty sure the phrase「っていうか」can be used in this way, but I can't find an explanation anywhere :roll: You see it more commonly starting a sentence, to infer the quote rather than the other way around, and in structures like 'rather than <quote>, <clause>'. Maybe somebody else can clarify? I never know how to translate this properly a lot of the time.

EDIT: reading it again, Claire's explanation seems a lot better. I just wanted some help with「っていうか」 :oops:

Elfunko
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Postby Elfunko » February 12th, 2008 1:16 am

tteiuka , just looking at it bare bones as it is and not in context, Id say what you said. Just to clarify information.

watermen
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Postby watermen » February 12th, 2008 4:31 am

Claireは誰ですか?あの説明はどこですか。

プチクレア
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Postby プチクレア » February 12th, 2008 6:18 am

Watermenさん、

私はClaireです

プチクレア= petite Claire

(I 'm always amazed at how japanese people went from "petite/petit" to プチ....I'd probably have written it as ペチット... that's katakana for you....)

っていうか... I'd say the same thing as both of you, Javizyさんand Elfunkoさん...
さっぱり分からない !...

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