Re: genchi / genshitsu

B. Ito wrote:

"Paul Blay" <ask_me_or_get_spam_trapped@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message news:dtb7b5$2rl$1$8300dec7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Bart Mathias" <mathias@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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Paul Blay copied from WWWJDIC ...

[...]
彼は言質をとられた。
He committed himself.
[...]


There seems to be a nuance missing in that translation.

Unfortunately, "He got himself committed" is wa-a-ay off. But perhaps,
"He got himself committed to it"? (Or does "it" sound like an asylum
there? If so, "He got himself committed to [the deal/task/etc."?)


"They took his commitment." ?

In any event, it's different from 「彼は言質をあたえた」.

----------------------------------------------------------

彼は言質をとられた。
He committed himself.


The meanings are quite similar.
The difference is whether he was willing to do so or not.

Exactly. That's why I tried to find a translation suggesting ruefulness.

Paul's suggested revision, "They took his commitment," seems to me
ambiguous on that score, and the original "He committed himself" reads
68% in favor of "willingly" to me.

Bart
.

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