if one keeps doing something
when・if something is…
Structure
- Verb[て] + いては
[if/ when + negative expectation/negative comment・AていてはB is used when the (hypothetical) outcome of continuing to do A is expected to be undesirable (B) or to negatively make a comment (B) about A]
Could someone check me on this? I’m trying to dissect the second sentence…
来るのが遅すぎます。先に始めていてはいけませんか？
I will be very late. Would you mind if you started without me?
Using one translation, this is:
If you keep starting before (me), is that bad (would you mind)?
But that doesn’t make sense. You only start once in this situation.
Maybe this is more like describing a state:
If you are in the state of starting before (me), is that bad?
Anyone else have another way of looking at this grammar point?
Also, how would it be different if it was this:
先に始めてはいけませんか？
Isn’t starting already continous so there’s no need to worry about adding “keep starting” or “in the state of starting”, similar to how if there’s some major sporting event or movie about to begin someone might shout “It’s starting” to let someone know it’s in the process of starting and to come in the room and not miss it. So the “keep” part might just be an addition to make clear the grammar can be negative/ criticial in tone e.g. “If you keep messing around…”. Personally I took the sentence ,with as little deviation from Japanese as possible, as something like “Is starting before me a no go?” because "no go " and 行けません seem similar . As far as just ては it doesn’t seem too different from looking at the grammar point for it https://www.bunpro.jp/grammar_points/562
That makes sense! 