Comments on: Japanese Particles, redux http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/05/24/japanese-particles-redux/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:44:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Doug http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/05/24/japanese-particles-redux/#comment-4147 Doug Thu, 27 May 2010 18:18:07 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7900#comment-4147 Hi guys, and thanks for the suggestions. Anything to help our fellow Japanese students out is always appreciated. Victor: Welcome to the JLR by the way. :) Hi guys, and thanks for the suggestions. Anything to help our fellow Japanese students out is always appreciated.

Victor: Welcome to the JLR by the way. :)

]]> By: Victor Davidson http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/05/24/japanese-particles-redux/#comment-4145 Victor Davidson Thu, 27 May 2010 11:17:05 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7900#comment-4145 I have always sworn by Harold G Henderson's Handbook of Japanese Grammar. 320 pages of articles used in context and the most extensive set of examples contrasting wa and ga I have ever found. I have always sworn by Harold G Henderson’s Handbook of Japanese Grammar. 320 pages of articles used in context and the most extensive set of examples contrasting wa and ga I have ever found.

]]> By: Troo http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/05/24/japanese-particles-redux/#comment-4137 Troo Mon, 24 May 2010 09:35:25 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=7900#comment-4137 I understood the difference between は and が to be, essentially, one of context and emphasis: は makes the emphasis of the sentence the words which came after it, and が emphasises what came before it. は as a topic marker picks your topic out from all others available. わたしは, for example, picks you out not only as the topic, but subconsciously builds suspense. The listener or reader is then going "Yes? Yes? You what?" - their attention is pushed toward the object. が on the other hand is more interested in the subject. It's used to answer interrogative questions (which is where the context bit comes in). So if you're asked だれがいきましたか, the correct answer (if it was you who went, after all) is わたしがいきました。 Or, if it was someone else, やまもとさんがいきました。 I found <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Japanese-Textbooks-Kodanshas/dp/4770028024/ref=pd_sim_b_2" rel="nofollow">this book</a> especially useful in getting to grips with は and が. Give it a try :) I understood the difference between は and が to be, essentially, one of context and emphasis: は makes the emphasis of the sentence the words which came after it, and が emphasises what came before it.

は as a topic marker picks your topic out from all others available. わたしは, for example, picks you out not only as the topic, but subconsciously builds suspense. The listener or reader is then going “Yes? Yes? You what?” – their attention is pushed toward the object.

が on the other hand is more interested in the subject. It’s used to answer interrogative questions (which is where the context bit comes in). So if you’re asked だれがいきましたか, the correct answer (if it was you who went, after all) is わたしがいきました。 Or, if it was someone else, やまもとさんがいきました。

I found this book especially useful in getting to grips with は and が. Give it a try :)

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