Lesson 145: 〜に 限らず・〜に 限って・〜を 問わず・〜に かかわらず

N2 · Lesson 145 · 18 min — Not only ~, of all times ~, regardless of ~, no matter ~: saying how wide the range is

Last lesson, the neighborhood split into two sides over the tree. In the end they chose to "collect signatures, aiming for spring." This lesson teaches four patterns that describe a "range": not only (に限かぎらず), of all times / that person, of all people (に限かぎって), regardless of (を問とわず) and no matter (にかかわらず). 限かぎらず and 限かぎって differ by just a tiny bit, but their meanings are very different. That is the key point of this lesson. Comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use 〜に 限かぎらず for "not only ~ (but also ~)": 住民じゅうみんに 限かぎらず、観光客かんこうきゃくも
• Use 〜に 限かぎって for "of all times ~" or "that person, of all people": 初日しょにちに 限かぎって 雨あめ
• Use 〜を 問とわず for "regardless of ~": 年齢ねんれいを 問とわず、だれでも
• Use 〜に かかわらず for "no matter ~": 天気てんきに かかわらず、参加さんかする しないに かかわらず

Petition Day One

The neighborhood association decided to collect signatures, aiming for spring. Today, Rin sets up a stall on a Yanaka street. (署名しょめい = petition, signature; 住民じゅうみん = residents; 観光客かんこうきゃく = tourists; 初日しょにち = first day; 無事ぶじ = safe and sound; the sign's まもろう = let's protect (守まもる = to protect))

に限かぎらず = not only; を問とわず／にかかわらず = regardless of; に限かぎって = of all times. Next lesson: how many signatures are enough?

Words for this lesson: patterns about "range"

• 〜に 限かぎらず (ni kagirazu): not only ~, not limited to ~
• 〜に 限かぎって (ni kagitte): of all times ~; that person, of all people ~
• 〜を 問とわず (o towazu): regardless of ~, whatever the ~ (all the same)
• 〜に かかわらず (ni kakawarazu): no matter ~, regardless of ~
• 署名しょめい (shomei): signature; petition
• 住民じゅうみん (jūmin): resident
• 観光客かんこうきゃく (kankōkyaku): tourist
• 年齢ねんれい (nenrei): age
• 初日しょにち (shonichi): first day
• 男女だんじょ (danjo): men and women
• 国籍こくせき (kokuseki): nationality
• 経験けいけん (keiken): experience
• 季節きせつ (kisetsu): season
• 結果けっか (kekka): result
• 参加さんかする (sanka suru): participation
• 返事へんじ (henji): reply, answer
• 無事ぶじ (buji): safe, unharmed
• だんご (dango): dango (rice dumpling)

Grammar 1 / 4: Not only ~

N＋に 限かぎらず = "not only N (also ~)": the range is not limited to N. It is bigger. も often follows: 住民じゅうみんに 限かぎらず、観光客かんこうきゃくも.

• N＋に限かぎらず = not only N: 限かぎる = to limit. 限かぎらず means "not limited," so 住民じゅうみんに 限かぎらず = not limited to residents. The range is bigger.
• も／でも often follows: After "not only A," you usually add "B too ~": 住民じゅうみんに 限かぎらず、観光客かんこうきゃくも. You can also add "anything": 何なんでも.
• Compare with だけで なく: The meanings are very close: 住民じゅうみんだけで なく、観光客かんこうきゃくも. Before に 限かぎらず you need a noun (or a noun-like phrase such as 「〜こと」). Before だけで なく you can put a verb or adjective directly. に 限かぎらず sounds more formal and is common in notices and explanations.

• 住民じゅうみんに 限かぎらず、観光客かんこうきゃくも 署名しょめいできます。 — Not just locals—tourists can sign too.
• ねこは 日本にほんに 限かぎらず、台湾たいわんでも 人気にんきです。 — Cats are popular not only in Japan but in Taiwan too.
• この 店みせの ラーメンは 子こどもに 限かぎらず、大人おとなにも 人気にんきです。 — This shop's ramen is loved not only by children but also by adults.
• ねこ先生せんせいは ラーメンに 限かぎらず、何なんでも 食たべます。 — Neko-sensei doesn't eat only ramen. He eats everything.

Grammar 2 / 4: Of all times ~

N＋に 限かぎって = "of all times (when N)": at exactly this moment, something is different from usual or from what you hoped, mostly bad luck. Person＋に 限かぎって〜ない = "that person, of all people, would never."

• Time・case＋に限かぎって = of all times: Put a "time or day" before it: 初日しょにちに 限かぎって、急いそいで いる ときに 限かぎって. Something unlucky or unexpected follows, with a little complaint like "why now?"
• "Of all times" = against the usual or what you hoped for: に 限かぎって means "at exactly this time, things go against the usual or what you hoped." It is mostly for bad luck. For a result you were hoping for, like 「晴はれて よかった」, it sounds odd.
• Person＋に限かぎって〜ない = never him: Put a "person" before it. 〜はずが ない often follows: あの 人ひとに 限かぎって、うそを つく はずが ない = others might, but he, of all people, never would.

• 初日しょにちに 限かぎって、雨あめが 降ふった。 — On day one, of all days, it rained.
• 急いそいで いる ときに 限かぎって、電車でんしゃが 遅おくれる。 — Of all times, the train is late when I'm in a hurry.
• かさを 持もって いない 日ひに 限かぎって、雨あめが 降ふる。 — It rains on exactly the day I don't bring an umbrella.
• テストの 日ひに 限かぎって、おなかが 痛いたく なる。 — On exam day, of all days, my stomach started to hurt.
• ねこ先生せんせいに 限かぎって、だんごを 忘わすれる はずが ない。 — Neko-sensei, of all people, would never forget the dango.

Grammar 3 / 4: Regardless ~

N＋を 問とわず = "regardless of N (whatever it is), ~": N has many kinds, but the result is the same. 年齢ねんれいを 問とわず = regardless of age.

• N＋を問とわず = regardless of N: 問とう = to ask. 問とわず = "not asking," that is, "it doesn't matter which kind it is": 年齢ねんれいを 問とわず = regardless of age.
• Put a noun with "many kinds" before it: 年齢ねんれい・男女だんじょ・国籍こくせき・経験けいけん・季節きせつ: each of these contains several kinds. A word with only one kind, like 住民じゅうみん, does not fit.
• Most common in notices and job ads: You often see it on posters and recruiting sheets: 国籍こくせきを 問とわず、経験けいけんを 問とわず. The polite sentence-ending form is 〜は 問といません: 年齢ねんれいは 問といません.

• 年齢ねんれいを 問とわず、だれでも 署名しょめいできます。 — Regardless of age, anyone can sign.
• この 祭まつりは 国籍こくせきを 問とわず、だれでも 参加さんかできます。 — This festival is open to anyone, regardless of nationality.
• 谷中やなかは 季節きせつを 問とわず、観光客かんこうきゃくが 多おおい。 — In Yanaka, tourists come in every season.
• くまやの ラーメンは 男女だんじょを 問とわず 人気にんきだ。 — The ramen at くまや is popular with both men and women.
• 経験けいけんを 問とわず、だれでも 参加さんかできます。 — Anyone can join, with or without experience.

Grammar 4 / 4: No matter ~

N＋に かかわらず = "no matter how N is, ~": it has nothing to do with N. You can also put both sides together: 参加さんかする しないに かかわらず = whether you join or not.

• N＋にかかわらず = no matter N: 天気てんきに かかわらず = no matter if the weather is good or bad; 結果けっかに かかわらず = no matter the result. The noun before it is often one that can "go well or badly."
• Dictionary form＋ない form = "A or not A": Put both sides together: 行いく 行いかないに かかわらず = whether you go or not; 降ふる 降ふらないに かかわらず = whether it rains or not.
• Compare with を問とわず: The meanings are very close. 年齢ねんれいに かかわらず、だれでも 署名しょめいできます means the same as 年齢ねんれいを 問とわず、だれでも 署名しょめいできます from Grammar 3, so you can swap them. By habit, "kinds" (国籍こくせき・男女だんじょ) usually take を 問とわず. "Weather, results, do or don't" usually take に かかわらず.

• 天気てんきに かかわらず、毎日まいにち ここに 立たちます。 — No matter the weather, I stand here every day.
• 結果けっかに かかわらず、最後さいごまで がんばろう。 — No matter the result, let's do our best to the end.
• 参加さんかする しないに かかわらず、返事へんじを ください。 — Whether you join or not, please reply.
• 雨あめが 降ふる 降ふらないに かかわらず、明日あしたは 出でかけます。 — Whether it rains or not, we are going out tomorrow.
• 年齢ねんれいに かかわらず、だれでも 署名しょめいできます。 — Regardless of age, anyone can sign.