HashiriKata Posted October 1, 2004 at 10:43 AM Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 10:43 AM Hi, Some small things in grammar often bother (read as "interest") me, so can someone help? In the context where someone asks "Do Chinese people like such & such", the reply is: 也不都是。 I know the bit 不都是 (not all do), but what is 也 doing here? What difference will it make (even if minor) with and without adding 也 in this phrase? Thanks, HK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madizi Posted October 1, 2004 at 11:28 AM Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 11:28 AM I think that better formulation would be 也不是, without 都. Or maybe even better: 不一定. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koneko Posted October 1, 2004 at 11:48 AM Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 11:48 AM 也不定。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted October 1, 2004 at 12:33 PM Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 12:33 PM Thank you for replying but I think I may have been misunderstood. I think 不都是(not all of them do) and 也不定(also not certain/difficult to say) have very different meanings. What I want to know is what difference it make to add 也 in front of 不都是 to be come: 也不都是. (This is not my own phrase but is one I saw in a textbook and I got curious.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koneko Posted October 1, 2004 at 12:37 PM Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 12:37 PM 不都是 = Not at all 也不都是 = Not exactly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted October 1, 2004 at 12:54 PM Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 12:54 PM Thank you again Koneko, your name reminds me of the original question that came with the phrase I'm asking about: 中国人喜欢养猫吗？(Do Chinese people like (raising) cats? ) 也不都是 (Not all do) (?) I hope the context will now clarify the meaning of the reply 也不都是. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koneko Posted October 1, 2004 at 12:57 PM Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 12:57 PM ハシリカタさん、 日本語ができますか？ 小猫より Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted October 1, 2004 at 01:57 PM Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 01:57 PM すこししかできませんが... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xiaomawang Posted October 1, 2004 at 03:36 PM Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 03:36 PM "也不都是" means there's some exceptionals, whereas the majority, in general, being thought/expected in a certain way. e.g. A: '男孩子都是粗心大意的' B: '也不都是, 他就很細心' "不都是" however, does not imply a big contrast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted October 1, 2004 at 04:35 PM Report Share Posted October 1, 2004 at 04:35 PM In that context, 也不都是 = 不全是 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted October 2, 2004 at 07:19 AM Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 at 07:19 AM Thank you, Xiaomawang and Skylee. I think I'm almost getting there . "不都是" however, does not imply a big contrast Can you elaborate a little? "a big contrast" with what? Do you mean adding 也 makes the statement a little more emphatic in this context? In that context, 也不都是 = 不全是 But I think 不都是 is also = 不全是. So what difference does the adding of 也 make? Sorry for being so particular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HashiriKata Posted October 2, 2004 at 10:17 AM Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2004 at 10:17 AM After going through various definitions in a big dictionary, I think I've got it. One of them says that 也 is added to make the negation / affirmation a bit milder (使句子带上委婉的语气，减弱肯定或否定程度), and an example was given: 这个道理我也不是不懂。 Thanks all again for their contributions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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