Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 5: 9/22

としてAs (i.e. in the role of), For

Structure

Noun + として
Noun + として + Noun

Details

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    Standard

About として

When the case marking particle と is used to highlight a result, it regularly translates to 'as' in English. This nuance of 'as' simply assumes that (A) is a plain or unchanging fact from which something (usually an opinion or evaluation) is based. Combining this nuance of と with して (the conjugation form of する), として will present (A) as the base point from which (B) can be determined.

Despite being a combination of several individual parts, として is often considered to be a 副助詞(ふくじょし) (adverbial particle) by itself, meaning that it will most often be seen connected directly to nouns.

As として works in the same way as a 副助詞(ふくじょし), it may be connected directly to a second noun to express that (B) is something functioning as (A).

Fun Fact

This result use of と regularly appears when one particular aspect of something is being highlighted (while other aspects still exist). This simply means that nothing apart from (A) is being considered when expressing (B).

Related

Examples

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    私(わたし)たちは先生(せんせい)としての彼(かれ)を尊敬(そんけい)します。

    We look up to him as our teacher.

    妻(つま)としての役割(やくわり)をよく果(は)たしてくれている。

    She does well as a wife.

    挨拶(あいさつ)は礼儀(れいぎ)として必要(ひつよう)です。

    As a courtesy, greetings are important.

    ジョチはチンギス・カンの長男(ちょうなん)として生(う)まれた。

    Jochi has been born as the first son of Genghis Khan.

    私(わたし)の嫁(よめ)さんは母(はは)として、そして妻(つま)として、本当(ほんとう)にいい人(ひと)だ。

    As both a mother and as a wife, my wife is really a great person.

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として – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (8 in total)

  • IcyIceBear

    IcyIceBear

    “As our teacher, he/she respects him” (your teacher is the one doing the respecting to him)

    “We respect him as a teacher” (We, him as a teacher, we respect)

    The first one implies the teacher is the topicは and is doing the respecting to whoever “he”...

  • milopiccolo

    milopiccolo

    I was confused by 「私たちは先生としての彼を尊敬します。」 too. This is my analysis (but I’m not sure if I have it right):

    If it were just 「私たちは先生として彼を尊敬します。」, the most natural interpretation would be:
    私たちは We…
    先生として as teachers…
    彼を尊敬します。We, as teachers, respect him.
    I’m not sure if more context could force a different interpretation or not.

    Adding the の changes the structure:
    私たちは We…
    先生としての彼を Him as a teacher…
    尊敬します。We respect him as a teacher.

  • Asher

    Asher

    In this case, basically the の removes any ambiguity about who the teacher is.

    私たちは先生として彼を尊敬します。
    In this sentence you could not 100% say whether the teacher/s are 私たち or 彼.

    私たちは先生としての彼を尊敬します。
    In this case, の changes the previous clause to ‘him as a teacher’, making it so there is no longer any confusion.

    This の is stating the role of the person it precedes.

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