Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 5: 12/21

から言(い)うと
speaking in terms of, from the point of view of

The preceding noun cannot identify a person. However, Personの立場 + からいうと/からいって/からいえば are allowed.

Structure
Noun + から言うと(1)

(1)から言えばから言って
Details
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使用域 一般
Information
からいうと (appearing with or without kanji) is a phrase in Japanese that is used to express a particular viewpoint or standpoint from which some type of evaluation, conclusion, or opinion can be drawn. The と that appears here is one of the 仮定(かてい) ‘assumption’ uses of this particle, meaning that から言(い)えば may also be used.
からいうと will always follow a noun (or noun phrase), before the (B) part of that same sentence will describe some kind of evaluation/opinion/etc. This structure closely reflects phrases like ‘speaking in terms of (A), (B)’, or ‘what can be drawn from (A) is that (B)'.
  • 私(わたし)経験(けいけん)から言(い)うとこのやり方(かた)一番(いちばん)効率(こうりつ)がいい
    Speaking from my experience, this way of doing it is the most efficient.
  • 私(わたし)立場(たちば)から言(い)えば、彼(かれ)は絶対(ぜったい)いつか成功(せいこう)する
    Speaking from my position, he will make it big one day.
Occasonally, the use of particles such as と or may be skipped entirely, with からと言(い)って being used instead.
  • この結果(けっか)から言(い)ってこの計画(けいかく)はあまりよくありませんでした
    Speaking from these results, this plan was not that great.
Caution
‘Name + からいうと’ may not be used with this expression, as a person is not a ‘situation’. However, it is perfectly ok to use something like ‘name の 立場(たちば)からいうと’, as this highlights a specific situation that the said person is in.
  • タクミから言(い)うと、後輩(こうはい)タケシ君(くん)は次(つぎ)試合(しあい)勝(か)てそうなの? (Unnatural)
    Speaking as Takumi, do you think your kouhai, Takeshi-kun can win in the next competition?
  • タクミ立場(たちば)からいうと後輩(こうはい)タケシ君(くん)は次(つぎ)試合(しあい)勝(か)てそうなの? (Natural)
    Takumi, speaking from your position, do you think you kouhai, Takeshi-kun is going to win at the next competition?
  • サトミ視点(してん)からいうとあの人(ひと)たちは採用(さいよう)しない方(ほう)がいいという事(こと)ですか? (Natural)
    Satomi, from your point of view, are you saying that we should not recruit those people?
Caution
Due to からいうと regularly highlighting some sort of ‘overall situation’, it will not be used with momentary/visual things. In these cases, while not strictly incorrect, it may sound quite unnatural to a native speaker.
  • 家(いえ)レイアウトから言(い)うとこの家(いえ)は30年前(ねんまえ)立(た)てられた家(いえ)だと思(おも)う。 (Not incorrect, but a little unnatural)
    Speaking from the layout of this house, I think it was built 30 years ago.
A more appropriate choice here would be something like から見(み)ると, as this can be used to make purely visual assessments.
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私(わたし)の経験(けいけん)から言(い)う先生(せんせい)のおかげで卒業(そつぎょう)ができた。
From the point of view of my experience, it was thanks to my teacher that I graduated.
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法律(ほうりつ)から言(い)うそれは違反(いはん)です。
Speaking in terms of the law, that is a crime.
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結論(けつろん)から言(い)う、失敗(しっぱい)です。
Speaking in terms of results, it is a failure.