6.1. COMPARISONS, PREFERENCES AND CHOICE 279
”good customs” (’good style’). A special set of words with this likeness
adverb is its combination with the series (etc.):
- in this way/style
- in that way/style
- in that way/style like that
- in which way/style
This combination is used when one wants to focus specifically on a
way something is (or has been) done. It is, effectively, a rhetorical adverb,
qualifying a verb action with itself. That may sound a bit crypic, so an
example:
”Ask me any way you want, I cannot do what I cannot do.”
In this sentence, the highlights the way
something was said, without saying what this way is, instead relying on
the listener to know full well which in what way the verb action occurred.
- Strong impression based on secondary information
Similar to likening something to something else, impressions are one’s own
projections of likeness onto something. For instance, if we have the impres-
sion something is tall, then this something can be said to be like something
that is tall, instead. As such, impression words are also quite important to
know.
When we have an impression of something based on secondary in-
formation, or indirect observation, we can use to indicate this, by
using it in combination with verbal
:
( )
It seems that book is Yamada’s.
In addition to this, can be used to indicate that something
generates a certain impression:
literally: ”That way of speaking (plus what was said), is just like
(what) Kimura (would use).”
meaning: ”That’s so like Kimura.”
In the Japanese sentence, the use of indicates that, if this
concerned someone else saying something, the act performed reminds the
