Saturday, April 21, 2018

grammar - Meaning of volitional passive form



お姉ちゃんに何を言われようが、まる子はウキウキ気分なのであった。
What was said by her sister ???? but, Maruko felt cheerful.



I can't think of any way in which something which is passive can also be volitional. How do I understand this construction?



Answer



「何, どこ, だれ, いつ etc. + ~~(よ)うが」
「何, どこ, だれ, いつ etc. + ~~(よ)うと(も)」
「何, どこ, だれ, いつ etc. + ~~ても」

mean "No matter what, where, who, etc. ~~". For example:



何を言おうが / 何を言おうと() / 何を言っても
(No matter what ~~ say, ...)
どこに行こうが / どこに行こうと() / どこに行っても
(No matter where ~~ go, ...)
何があろうが / 何があろうと() / 何があっても
(No matter what happens, ...)
何を頼まれようが / 何を頼まれようと() / 何を頼まれても ← passive + よう
(No matter what ~~ is requested)




The auxiliary verb よう has other meanings than volitional. I think the よう here is #5 in デジタル大辞泉: 「仮定の意を表す。」(expresses a hypothetical/conditional meaning).


So your example:



お姉ちゃんに何を言われようが、まる子はウキウキ気分なのであった。



is like 「お姉ちゃんに何を言われようと(も)~」, 「お姉ちゃんに何を言われても~」, (Lit.) "No matter what Maruko was told by her sister, ~~" -> "No matter what her sister said to her, Maruko was feeling just so excited / exhilarated."


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