Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 8: 18/19

に限(かぎ)ったことではない

Not limited to, Not restricted to, Not only

Structure

Noun + に限(かぎ)ったことではない

Details

    About に限ったことではない

    に限(かぎ)ったことではない is a fairly emphatic expression that, like several other grammar patterns, makes use of the う-Verb 限(かぎ)る 'to limit'. It is a combination of the case-marking particle に, the past tense of 限(かぎ)る, 限(かぎ)った, the noun こと 'thing', the conjunctive form of the auxiliary verb だ, で, the adverbial particle は, and the い-Adjective, ない. The literal translation is 'it is not something that is limited to (A)', but other common interpretations include 'not only (A), but (B)', or 'not restricted to (A), (B) too'.
    This structure will be used following nouns, and tends to be reserved for fairly formal situations.
    • 最近(さいきん)の若者(わかもの)は挨拶(あいさつ)ができないと言(い)われているが、若者(わかもの)に限(かぎ)ったことではない。
      It is said that young people these days can't greet people, but it is not limited to young people.
    • 今日(きょう)に限(かぎ)ったことではないが、なんか仕事(しごと)する気(き)にならない。
      It is not limited to today, but for some reason I don't feel like working.
    • 文法(ぶんぽう)が難(むずか)しいのは日本語(にほんご)に限(かぎ)ったことではない。
      Grammar being difficult is not something that is limited to Japanese.
    This grammar pattern often indicates that (A) is something that is not especially rare, so should not be, or does not require to be treated in any special way.

    Examples

    • うつ病(びょう)は人間(にんげん)に限(かぎ)ったことではない。動物(どうぶつ)でもうつ病(びょう)と診断(しんだん)されることがある。

      Depression is not limited to humans. Even animals can be diagnosed with depression.

    • 敬語(けいご)は何(なに)も日本語(にほんご)に限(かぎ)ったことではない。他(た)言語(げんご)にもあるか、または過去(かこ)にあった。

      Honorifics are not restricted to Japanese at all. Other languages also have it, or had it in the past.

    • 松岡(まつおか)さんが宿題(しゅくだい)を忘(わす)れるのは今日(きょう)に限(かぎ)ったことではない。

      Mr. Matsuoka forgetting to do his homework was not limited only to today.

    • オレオレ詐欺(さぎ)で騙(だま)されるのはお年寄(としよ)りに限(かぎ)ったことではない。大人(おとな)も騙(だま)される。

      It is not only the elderly who are deceived by the 'ore ore' scam. Adults are too.

    • 科学(かがく)者(しゃ)によると、少子(しょうし)化(か)はなにも日本(にっぽん)に限(かぎ)ったことではないとのこと。すべての先進(せんしん)国(こく)における問題(もんだい)だそうだ。

      According to scientists, the declining birthrate is not limited to Japan at all. It seems that it is a problem in all developed countries.

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