Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 7: 14/21

からしてEven..., Judging from, Based on

Structure

Noun + からして

Details

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About からして

からして is a combination of the conjunction particle から 'from', and the て-form of する. It is used to express when the speaker is making a partially objective opinion about (A). This frequently comes across as 'judging from (A)', or 'based on (A)'. The literal meaning is 'going from (A), (B)'. This simply highlights that (A) is the only information or method available from which an assessment can be made, so 'going from that information, (B) can be said', or 'going with that method, (B) can be said'.

からして will appear directly after the noun which indicates either the method or information from which a judgment will then be made.

As からして is partially objective, this just means that the speaker does not have the full information available to say anything with certainty, and is therefore making a guess about (A) based purely on what appears to be true. Due to this, からして sentences often have the nuance of 'from the available piece of information about (A), (B) is likely the whole picture'.

Related

Examples

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    このスープは匂(にお)いからして美味(おい)しそうだ。

    Judging from this soup's smell, it seems delicious.

    あの演奏(えんそう)からして、彼(かれ)は楽器(がっき)のプロだ。

    Judging from that performance, he is a professional with that instrument.

    私(わたし)の感覚(かんかく)からして、このスイカは甘(あま)いと思(おも)う。

    Judging from my intuition, I think this watermelon is sweet.

    あの看板(かんばん)からして、店(みせ)の中(なか)もきっとオシャレなのだろう。

    Judging from that signboard, surely the inside of that store is also fashionable.

    稽古(けいこ)の内容(ないよう)からして、あの先生(せんせい)は厳(きび)しそうだ。

    Judging from the contents of their training, that teacher seems strict.

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からして – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (5 in total)

  • Melanthe

    Melanthe

    I think you have smushed two distinct grammar points together:

  • Asher

    Asher

    Interesting insight @Melanthe ! As we’re going through doing all the proper explanations for N2 grammar, we’re using a variety of different resources. Of these, 絵でわかる日本語 is one if them, as we tend to favor sources written by native speakers.

    Whether we split something into 2 or more separate grammar points depends mostly on whether the majority of other resources do the same, and if we ourselves can find some commonality between all meanings that warrant making just one grammar point, and pointing out the difference there. This is, as you might imagine, tough at times.

    The primary resource we use (for higher levels) is くらべてわかる日本語表現文型辞典 (available on Amazon as an eBook, or paperback), which lists からして as a single grammar point with a few slightly different nuances. We have not decided what to do with this grammar construction as of now, but when we get to it, I will absolutely take your feedback into consideration when making ex...

  • Melanthe

    Melanthe

    Thanks! It’s definitely tricky, because I imagine there is a risk that too many of ‘the same entries’ will clog up the search results and make it harder to find what you’re looking for. But when you don’t separate them, you run the risk of adding lots of example sentences for the one usage and hardly any for the second. I’m seeing the same with the entry for 〜を通じて (which 絵でわかる, SKM and that grammar pattern handbook all split into two discrete grammar points): lots of example sentences for the ‘proxy’ usage, but only one for the ‘time span’ usage.

    I’d personally have a preference for splitting them out (like you’ve already done for grammar points like らしい and 一応), because it makes it very clear that they can be (and often are) conceived of as separate usages with (often) separate 使い方 and different ...

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