にほかならない - Grammar Discussion

Grammar Points
#1

nothing but
none other than
simply

Structure

  • Noun + にほかならない / にほかならぬ

硬

[AはBにほかならない, A is nothing but B. Used to emphasize a statement: reason, cause, fact, metaphors, etc.]
[にほかならぬ can be used in very formal writing]

View on Bunpro

#2

In the following sentence：

この会社がここまで成長したのは、彼との出会いがあったからにほかならない

“にほかならない” is used after the particle から, but in the structure section it reads:

Noun + にほかならない (1)

There’s no mention of this grammar point being able to connect to the から particle / a reason.
I think it might be good to include this in the structure section.

1 Like
#3

Hi!

In the explanation of this grammar point, it says that “に他ならない is a grammar pattern used with verbs to indicate that…” though the pattern is then shown to be used with nouns.

Further to this, I see in the JGram link that other constructions are possible:

PLAIN FORMS (Verb, i/na Adjectives, Noun) + にほかならない

  • But in case of Noun and na-Adjective だ is not added
  • There are also Noun/na-Adjective + である
  • when expressing reason から can also be added

In particular, the last one (addition of から) can be seen in the example sentences provided in the grammar point, as already pointed out by Bruinvis.

Finally, examples are given of the use of this pattern with verbs by nominalizing them with もの.

#4

A question about an example sentence and the provided translation:
この会社かいしゃがここまで成長せいちょうしたのは、彼かれとの出会であいがあったからにほかならない
Bunpro translation: Being able to get this far at this company is thanks to none other than meeting him. - I suppose it implies that “someone got this far”, not “the company got this far”.

My understanding (rough translation): The fact that this company has grown this much is none other than because (they) met him."

Am I correctly understanding that the subject of the Japanese sentence is “the company” that grew, not that “someone grew in the company”? Or am I mising something?

1 Like
#5

Hi!

My understanding is the same as yours: it is the company the one that has grown (up to this point). Thus the use of が. Furthermore, the second meaning listed in Jisho for 成長 is coherent with this understanding.

If someone grew in the company, it might be ‘この会社でここまで成長したのは…’.

HTH!

1 Like