Lesson 169: ならでは・をおいて・ところを

N1 · Lesson 169 · 18 min — At the ward mayor interview: open politely, introduce, and make your case. This tree, and nothing else!

In the last lesson, Rin prepared everything he wanted to say at the interview, one point at a time: "At this stage, I won't hesitate anymore." This lesson has three phrases that are very useful in formal situations: ならでは (only ~ has), をおいて (nothing but ~), and ところを (sorry to trouble you while you are ~). Let's read the comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use ならでは to praise something that only one place has: 谷中やなかならではの 景色けしき
• Use をおいて（ほかに）～ない to say "nothing but ~": この 木きを おいて、町まちの 象徴しょうちょうは ありません
• Use ところを to thank or apologize when you trouble someone: お忙いそがしい ところを、ありがとうございます
• In formal situations, open politely, introduce, and make your case

Into the office!

After so much preparation, the interview day has finally come! Rin and Mr. Kuma walk into the ward mayor's office. (景色けしき＝scenery, 象徴しょうちょう＝symbol, 恐縮きょうしゅく＝sorry to trouble you (very polite))

ならでは＝only ~ has; をおいて～ない＝nothing but ~; ところを＝sorry to trouble you while ~. Next lesson, the ward mayor speaks to Rin!

Words for this lesson: the ward mayor interview

• 〜ならでは (naradewa): only ~ has; unique to ~ (a positive compliment)
• 〜を おいて（ほかに）〜ない (o oite): nothing but ~; no one but ~
• 〜ところを (tokoro o): while you are ~ (and I trouble you anyway)
• ほかに (hoka ni): other; besides
• 景色けしき (keshiki): scenery, view
• 象徴しょうちょう (shōchō): symbol
• 坂道さかみち (sakamichi): slope, sloping road
• 恐縮きょうしゅくです (kyōshuku desu): sorry to trouble you; I'm much obliged (a thankful feeling with a bit of apology; very polite)
• 失礼しつれいします (shitsurei shimasu): excuse me; sorry to disturb you (a polite set phrase)
• お時間じかんを いただく (ojikan o itadaku): thank you for giving me your time
• お休やすみ (oyasumi): (someone else's) day off, rest
• お急いそぎ (oisogi): (someone else) being in a hurry
• 適任者てきにんしゃ (tekininsha): the best person for the job
• 役やく (yaku): role, duty
• 職人しょくにん (shokunin): craftsman, skilled artisan
• 丁寧ていねいな (teinei na): careful, thorough
• 手作てづくり (tezukuri): handmade
• 地元じもと (jimoto): local, hometown
• 待合室まちあいしつ (machiaishitsu): waiting room
• せんべい (senbei): senbei (rice cracker)
• おかわり (okawari): another serving, a refill

Grammar 1 / 3: ならでは

N＋ならではの＋N＝something that only ~ has: praise a special quality that other places or other people don't have. 谷中やなかならではの 景色けしき＝scenery that only Yanaka has.

• Form: N＋ならではの＋N／N＋ならではだ: Add の before a noun: 谷中やなかならではの 景色けしき. At the end of a sentence, add だ／です: この 景色けしきは 谷中やなかならではだ。
• Meaning: only ~ has it, not found elsewhere: It stresses "in another place, or with another person, you won't find this." So it is always about something special.
• Feeling: almost always praise: Very common in tourist guides, product descriptions, and interviews. It is hardly used for bad things: for "traffic jams you only get here," you don't use ならでは.
• Often placed before it: place・season・person・method: 京都きょうとならでは／冬ふゆならでは／職人しょくにんならでは／手作てづくりならでは／地元じもとの 人ひとならでは。

• 谷中やなかならではの 景色けしきです。 — This is a view that only Yanaka has.
• 冬ふゆならではの 料理りょうりを 食たべました。 — I ate a dish that you can only get in winter.
• 職人しょくにんならではの 丁寧ていねいな 仕事しごとです。 — This is fine craftsmanship that only a master craftsman can produce.
• この 店みせの ラーメンは、手作てづくりならではの 味あじが する。 — The ramen at this shop has a flavor that only handmade food has.
• 地元じもとの 人ひとならではの 話はなしが 聞きけて、よかった。 — It was great to hear stories that only local people know.

Grammar 2 / 3: をおいて

N＋をおいて（ほかに）～ない＝nothing else besides ~: a strong recommendation, "it has to be this." The sentence ends in the negative (or a rhetorical question).

• Form: N＋をおいて（ほかに）〜ない: Noun＋を おいて, and ほかに often follows. The sentence ends in the negative. Use いない for people, and ない for things and time. A rhetorical question is also common: 〜を おいて ほかに 誰だれが いるだろうか (＝Who else is there besides him? ＝ There is no one else).
• Meaning: nothing but ~, no one else: It says "this is the only one, the best fit": ガイドなら、リンさんを おいて ほかに いない＝For a guide, it has to be Rin.
• Almost always used for high praise: Used to strongly recommend a person, a place, or a moment. It can also be used the other way around as a joke: in comic panel 4, Rin is deliberately exaggerating and "praising" the teacher's appetite. It cannot be used to simply leave someone out. To say "Everyone came except Rin," say リンさん だけ 来きませんでした。
• Don't mix it up with において: You already learned Nに おいて＝at / in ~ (place, field). This lesson is Nを おいて＝besides ~. One small particle changes the meaning completely.

• この 木きを おいて、町まちの 象徴しょうちょうは ありません。 — This town's symbol is this tree and nothing else.
• ガイドを 頼たのむなら、リンさんを おいて ほかに いない。 — If you need a guide, it has to be Rin.
• この 味あじを 出だせる 人ひとは、店長てんちょうを おいて ほかに いない。 — No one but the shop manager can make this flavor.
• 気持きもちを 伝つたえるなら、今いまを おいて ほかに ない。 — If you want to tell someone how you feel, now is the only time.
• 抹茶まっちゃを 飲のむなら、京都きょうとを おいて ほかに ない。 — For matcha, it has to be Kyoto.

Grammar 3 / 3: ところを

Plain form／Nの＋ところを＝while you are ~ (and I trouble you anyway): thanks, an apology, or a request follows. お忙いそがしい ところを、ありがとうございます＝Thank you for taking time out of your busy day.

• Form: plain form／Nの＋ところを: I-adjectives connect directly: お忙いそがしい ところを. Add の to nouns: お休やすみの ところを, お急いそぎの ところを。
• What follows: thanks・apology・request: ありがとうございます／すみません／失礼しつれいします (sorry to disturb you)／恐縮きょうしゅくですが〜. This is an opening line for interviews, phone calls, and visits. In speech, を is often dropped: お忙いそがしい ところ、すみません. The meaning is the same.
• The polite phrases in this lesson: they describe "the other person's" situation: In these polite phrases, what comes before is usually "the other person's" situation, so お is often added to show respect: お忙いそがしい (you are busy), お寒さむい, お休やすみ. Adding お before the word shows respect for the other person's state. Apologizing with "わたしが 忙いそがしい" (I am busy) sounds strange.
• Compare with the "caught in the act" you learned before: You learned 寝ねて いる ところを 見みられた (was seen while sleeping): the passive follows. In this lesson, thanks or an apology follows ところを. It is a polite phrase.

• お忙いそがしい ところを、ありがとうございます。 — Thank you for taking time out of your busy day.
• お休やすみの ところを 失礼しつれいします。 — Sorry to disturb you while you are resting.
• お急いそぎの ところを 恐縮きょうしゅくですが、こちらに お名前なまえを お願ねがいします。 — I'm sorry to trouble you when you are in a hurry. Please write your name here.
• 遠とおい ところを 来きて いただいて、ありがとうございます。 — Thank you for coming such a long way.
• お休やすみの ところを すみません、少すこし いいですか。 — I'm sorry to disturb your rest. Could I take a moment of your time?