Oct 22, 2013 Word of the Day - Question

[mccreedyvirginia4357]

こんにちは

In Oct 22 Word of the Day 氷, there is a sample phrase that I don't quite understand.
The phrase is 溶けかかった氷 which is translated to "melting ice". I assume it's coming from 溶ける, but is 溶けかかった a conjugation of that verb, or is the かかった part a different verb? None of the meanings for かかる seems to fit.
Thanks for your help.

バージニア

[mmmason8967]

I don't really know, but I think it might be:-

溶け　⇒　the masu-stem of 溶ける

掛かる　⇒　to begin or to have begun to (amongst a bewildering range of other things)

From which it might be "...has begun melting", except that it's in the past tense. If it's in the past tense then it must already be past the point of beginning to melt, which means it must be actively melting.

マイケル

[Tracel]

Hi,

I am pretty sure that マイケルさん is correct. The verb 掛かる when it is used as an auxiliary verb such as this means: "to have started to, to be on the verge of" in one of the senses.

So here 溶けかかった氷 "ice that has started to melt" or more streamlined into "melted ice".

Tracel

[community.japanese]

バージニアさん、マイケルさん、トラセルさん、
こんにちは

Yes; the explanation of Michael-san is spot-on and the one from Tracel-san is also perfect!
This simply means ...."my job here is done"

Natsuko (奈津子),
Team JapanesePod101.com

[mccreedyvirginia4357]

せつめいはありがとうございます。
Thank you for the explanation!

バージニア