868 - はいざ知らず（はいざしらず）
JLPT N1: はいざ知らず（はいざしらず // might be true for... but not for...）
We've seen time and time again that the ～ず verb ending basically means the same thing as the ～ない verb ending:
- [NDL #722] - JLPT N4: ～ずに
- [NDL #430] - JLPT N2: に限らず
- [NDL #549] - JLPT N2: にかかわらず
- [NDL #452] - JLPT N1: にとどまらず
- [NDL #550] - JLPT N1: いかんにかかわらず
- [NDL #592] - JLPT N1: ～ずにはおかない (can't help but)
- [NDL #599] - JLPT N1: ～ずにはおかない (will most certainly)
Thus, seeing 知らず (しらず), we should automatically know that it means 知らない (しらない), "to not know."
This knowledge isn't all that relevant to this lesson, though, to be honest, as I think we should just memorize はいざ知らず as a set phrase that is used when pointing out special exceptions.
For example, we could say:
一昔前はいざ知らず、今時フェイスブックを知らない人はいない。
ひとむかし まえ はいざしらず、 いまどき フェイスブック を しらない ひと は いない。
While there may have been people who didn’t know what Facebook was in the past, these days everyone knows about it.
Literally: “in the past / long ago + はいざ知らず, + nowadays + Facebook + を + doesn’t know + person + は + there isn’t.”
Special exception: "in the past, long ago"
General statement: "nowadays, there isn't anyone who doesn't know what Facebook is"
in the past はいざ知らず nowadays, there isn't anyone who doesn't know what Facebook is
→ While there may have been people who didn’t know what Facebook was in the past, these days everyone knows about it.
It is also common to say なら instead of は：
よほどの金持ちならいざ知らず、一般庶民にとってファーストクラスでの海外旅行なんて夢のまた夢だ。
よほど の かねもち ならいざしらず、 いっぱん しょみん にとって ファーストクラス で の かいがい りょこう なんて ゆめ の また ゆめ だ。
While the exceedingly wealthy can fly first class when traveling abroad, average people can only dream of doing so.
Literally: “very much / greatly + の + rich person + ならいざ知らず, + general / average + masses / common people + for (=にとって) + first class + で + の + overseas + trip + なんて + beyond (their) wildest dreams (=dream + の + again + dream) + だ.”
Special exception: "the exceedingly wealthy"
General statement: "average people can only dream of flying first class when traveling abroad"
the exceedingly wealthy ならいざ知らず average people can only dream of flying first class when traveling abroad
→ While the exceedingly wealthy can fly first class when traveling abroad, average people can only dream of doing so.
👷 Construction 👷
As you likely noticed above, はいざ知らず and ならいざ知らず can come directly after NOUNS.
With ならいざ知らず, another pattern is possible, too:
Plain-form word ＋（の）＋ ならいざ知らず
Here's an example:
わざと壊したのならいざ知らず、そうじゃないのだから許してあげようと思う。
わざと こわした のならいざしらず、 そう じゃない のだ から ゆるして あげよう と おもう。
It’s not like she broke it on purpose, so I’ll forgive her.
Literally: “intentionally + broke + の + ならいざ知らず, + that is not the case (=そうじゃない) + のだ + because + forgive (and) + let’s give (her) + と + think.”
↑ Things are a little more complicated here. We have...
Special exception: "breaking (it) intentionally"
General statement: "I'll forgive (her)"
(Additional information: "that is not the case" / "I think")
breaking it intentionally ならいざしらず (since that's not the case, I think) I'll forgive her
→ It’s not like she broke it on purpose, so I’ll forgive her.
Last example, and you'll be done:
子供ならいざ知らず、いい大人が自分のことを名前で呼ぶのはいただけないな。
こども ならいざしらず、 いい おとな が じぶん の こと を なまえ で よぶ の は いただけない な。
While it’s one thing for children to refer to themselves in the third person, fully-grown adults should never do so.
Literally: “child + ならいざ知らず, + good + adult + が + oneself + の + thing + を + name + で + call + の + は + unacceptable / not liked + な.”
Finished!
People do use はいざ知らず and ならいざしらず, so you might as well give it a shot in your own Japanese, too.
Complete and Continue
We've seen time and time again that the ～ず verb ending basically means the same thing as the ～ない verb ending:
- [NDL #722] - JLPT N4: ～ずに
- [NDL #430] - JLPT N2: に限らず
- [NDL #549] - JLPT N2: にかかわらず
- [NDL #452] - JLPT N1: にとどまらず
- [NDL #550] - JLPT N1: いかんにかかわらず
- [NDL #592] - JLPT N1: ～ずにはおかない (can't help but)
- [NDL #599] - JLPT N1: ～ずにはおかない (will most certainly)
Thus, seeing 知らず (しらず), we should automatically know that it means 知らない (しらない), "to not know."
This knowledge isn't all that relevant to this lesson, though, to be honest, as I think we should just memorize はいざ知らず as a set phrase that is used when pointing out special exceptions.
For example, we could say:
一昔前はいざ知らず、今時フェイスブックを知らない人はいない。
ひとむかし まえ はいざしらず、 いまどき フェイスブック を しらない ひと は いない。
While there may have been people who didn’t know what Facebook was in the past, these days everyone knows about it.
Literally: “in the past / long ago + はいざ知らず, + nowadays + Facebook + を + doesn’t know + person + は + there isn’t.”
Special exception: "in the past, long ago"
General statement: "nowadays, there isn't anyone who doesn't know what Facebook is"
in the past はいざ知らず nowadays, there isn't anyone who doesn't know what Facebook is
→ While there may have been people who didn’t know what Facebook was in the past, these days everyone knows about it.
It is also common to say なら instead of は：
よほどの金持ちならいざ知らず、一般庶民にとってファーストクラスでの海外旅行なんて夢のまた夢だ。
よほど の かねもち ならいざしらず、 いっぱん しょみん にとって ファーストクラス で の かいがい りょこう なんて ゆめ の また ゆめ だ。
While the exceedingly wealthy can fly first class when traveling abroad, average people can only dream of doing so.
Literally: “very much / greatly + の + rich person + ならいざ知らず, + general / average + masses / common people + for (=にとって) + first class + で + の + overseas + trip + なんて + beyond (their) wildest dreams (=dream + の + again + dream) + だ.”
Special exception: "the exceedingly wealthy"
General statement: "average people can only dream of flying first class when traveling abroad"
the exceedingly wealthy ならいざ知らず average people can only dream of flying first class when traveling abroad
→ While the exceedingly wealthy can fly first class when traveling abroad, average people can only dream of doing so.
👷 Construction 👷
As you likely noticed above, はいざ知らず and ならいざ知らず can come directly after NOUNS.
With ならいざ知らず, another pattern is possible, too:
Plain-form word ＋（の）＋ ならいざ知らず
Here's an example:
わざと壊したのならいざ知らず、そうじゃないのだから許してあげようと思う。
わざと こわした のならいざしらず、 そう じゃない のだ から ゆるして あげよう と おもう。
It’s not like she broke it on purpose, so I’ll forgive her.
Literally: “intentionally + broke + の + ならいざ知らず, + that is not the case (=そうじゃない) + のだ + because + forgive (and) + let’s give (her) + と + think.”
↑ Things are a little more complicated here. We have...
Special exception: "breaking (it) intentionally"
General statement: "I'll forgive (her)"
(Additional information: "that is not the case" / "I think")
breaking it intentionally ならいざしらず (since that's not the case, I think) I'll forgive her
→ It’s not like she broke it on purpose, so I’ll forgive her.
Last example, and you'll be done:
子供ならいざ知らず、いい大人が自分のことを名前で呼ぶのはいただけないな。
こども ならいざしらず、 いい おとな が じぶん の こと を なまえ で よぶ の は いただけない な。
While it’s one thing for children to refer to themselves in the third person, fully-grown adults should never do so.
Literally: “child + ならいざ知らず, + good + adult + が + oneself + の + thing + を + name + で + call + の + は + unacceptable / not liked + な.”
Finished!
People do use はいざ知らず and ならいざしらず, so you might as well give it a shot in your own Japanese, too.