Monday, November 19, 2007

Grammar a Day - Level 1 - 〜それまで�セ ([conditional] + soremadeda)

〜それまでだ ( + soremadeda) - Conveys the idea that if something occurs,
then a bad end is reached.


--- Examples ---
一生懸命勉強しても試験に合格しなければそれまでだ。
Even if you study hard, you will fail the exam and that's the end of that.

悪いことをしないほうがいいよ。見つかればそれまでだ。
You shouldn't be doing this. If they find out, that will be the end of
that.

雨天ならそれまでだ。
If it rains, that's the end of that.

死んだらそれまでだ。
If you die, you die.

いくらお金を稼いでも、死んでしまえばそれまでだ。
No matter how much money you earn, once you die, that is the end of it.


ダイエット中なのにアイスクリームをたくさん食べたらそれまでだ

--- Comments ---
Even if you study hard, you will fail the exam and that's the end of that.
(contributor: Glen Charles Rowell)

for the above example 一生懸命勉強しても試験に合格しなければそれまでだ。
(contributor: Glen Charles Rowell)

Thanks for checking. (contributor: Miki)

You can also use this with other conditionals such as 〜たら, 〜なら, 〜と.
Although most JLPT books only have the 〜ばそれまでだ version.

'that's the end of that' is a great translation. Thanks. (contributor:
blabby)

I think 'that's the end of that' is grossly ambiguous and it is not a good
English. I suggest the following:

#4765
Even if you study hard, should you fail the exams,then the things would go
kaput!

#5315
That's bad and you shouldn't be doing that. If they ever find out, you will
be hitting your point of no return.

#5316
If it rains, that's how the ball bounces.

(contributor: bamboo4)

To me, rather than 'that's the end of that', it sounds more natural to say
something more along the lines of ' that's it' or depending on the case,
'you're screwed'. A good example would be from the sentence above -
悪いことをしないほうがいいよ。見つかればそれまでだ。 You shouldn't be doing
stuff like that. Somebody sees you and you're gonna be screwed.
(contributor: HokkaidoHillbilly)

hello hillbilly: care to put that one in as an example? it seems a good
one. (contributor: dc)

I think 'you're screwed' is also a good translation (意訳) in the case of
my example #5315. 'That's the end of that' might not be the most natural,
but it is a general translation which fits almost all examples.

To me 'That's bad and you shouldn't be doing that. If they ever find out,
you will be hitting your point of no return. ' seems a little strange.
(contributor: blabby)

I also like to use 'that's all she wrote' for this one. Like, 'then you're
screwed', it's a bit colloquial, but definitely sounds natural. I also
wonder if using a repetition here: for instance [#5315] could be written
'...if you fail, you fail.' However, in English, this can also have the
sense of 'no big deal', or 'you can't argue with fate'. So for [#5316] 'If
it rains, it rains' - in English, this has the implication that a) there's
nothing you can do about it, and possibly b) no big deal. Are these nuances
present in the Japanese? (contributor: srobertson)

The grammar entry meaning 'if .. then it was over' is a poor match. At
the least it should be 'if ... then it _is_ over.' (contributor: Paul)

'That's the end of that' is (I believe) much better English than those very
odd phrases suggested above. The only problem with #4765 is that it is
conditional, and therefore should be written: If you study hard and still
fail the exam, that's the end of that. (contributor: Dutch)

[#5316] 'If it rains, it rains' would be a good translation, since in
Japanese, it conveys the feeling of resignation, too. Such tautological
statement has the connotation of emphasis in Japanese.
雨が降るから雨が降る. (contributor: bamboo)

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