Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 6: 13/17

でなくてなんだろう

If … is not … then what is?

Structure

Noun + でなくてなん + だろう(1)（か）

(1)であろう

Details

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About でなくてなんだろう

でなくてなんだろう is a formal pattern that appears following nouns that the speaker is certain is something which is true. It can be translated as 'if it's not (A), then what is it?'. でなくてなんだろう is a combination of the conjunctive form of the auxiliary verb だ, で, the conjunctive form of the い-Adjective ない, なくて, the prefix なん 'what', and the volitional form of だ, だろう. As can be seen, the literal and common translations are quite similar.
  • あの子(こ)が新(あたら)しいってだけでいじめられている。あれはパワハラでなくてなんだろう。
    She is getting bullied just because she is new. If that is not power harassment, then what is?
  • 俺(おれ)はこんなに夜(よる)遅(おそ)くまでタダ働(ばたら)きをしている。俺(おれ)は社畜(しゃちく)でなくてなんだろう。
    I am working late for free. If I am not a corporate slave, then what is?
Occasionally でなくてなんだろう will be followed by the sentence-ending particle か. This just emphasizes the point further, without changing the nuance.
  • 私(わたし)の家(いえ)だけ浸水(しんすい)しなかった。これが奇跡(きせき)でなくてなんだろうか。
    My house was the only one that did not get submerged. If this is not a miracle, then what is?
  • 説明欄(せつめいらん)には新品(しんぴん)だと書(か)いてあったのに届(とど)いた商品(しょうひん)は傷(きず)だらけだった。これは詐欺(さぎ)でなくてなんだろうか。
    In the description, it was written that it was brand new, but the product that arrived was covered in scratches. If this is not a scam, then what is?
In most cases, でなくてなんだろう will be used to ask a rhetorical question, or to strongly assert the speaker's own opinion about something.

Examples

  • 随筆(ずいひつ)：「もう聞(き)こえないと言(い)われた私(わたし)の耳(みみ)は人工(じんこう)内耳(ないじ)のおかげでまた聞(き)こえるようになった。これが奇跡(きせき)でなくてなんだろう。」

    Essay: 'I was told that I would never hear again, but thanks to the cochlear implants I can hear once again. If this is not a miracle then what is?'

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「外国(がいこく)での休暇(きゅうか)の途中(とちゅう)で、長年(ながねん)連絡(れんらく)が取(と)れなかった幼馴染(おさななじみ)に偶然(ぐうぜん)出会(であ)うなんて運命(うんめい)でなくてなんだろうか。」

    Novel: 'If meeting a childhood friend you lost contact with years ago, in the middle of holidays abroad is not fate, then what is?'

  • 小説(しょうせつ)：「飯(めし)がうまくて、楽(たの)しい仲間(なかま)がいて、その上(うえ)、近(ちか)くには温泉(おんせん)がある。これが楽園(らくえん)でなくてなんだろうか？」

    Novel: 'There is good food, good company, and what is more, a hot spring is nearby. If this is not a paradise then what is?'

  • 記事(きじ)：「たけださんはひとり親(おや)であるばかりに昇進(しょうしん)が見送(みおく)られた。これが差別(さべつ)でなくてなんであろうか。」

    Article：Mr. Takeda has been refused promotion just because he is a single parent. If this is not discrimination, then what is?

  • レビュー：「『遥(はる)かな町(まち)へ』という漫画(まんが)を初(はじ)めて読(よ)んで涙(なみだ)が出(で)るほど感動(かんどう)した。このような漫画(まんが)が傑作(けっさく)でなくなんだろう？」

    Review: 'When I read the manga titled 'A distant Neighborhood' for the first time, it moved me to tears. If manga like this is not a masterpiece then what is?'

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でなくてなんだろう – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

  • pampel

    pampel

    I think it would be helpful if you mentioned that using other ways of negating the expression (e.g. じゃなくて・ではなくて) may look like they’d have the same meaning but apparently lack the nuance of a rhetorical question, so it sounds like you are asking an actual question.

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