Wednesday, 1 June 2016

grammar - Use of 方 in sentence (かた or ほう?) + translation


Context (although probably not relevant): Last sentence of the preface to a short manga sidestory. The rest of the preface talks about how the mangaka ordered rubber coasters and they didn't turn out like she wanted them to, but people wanted to have them, so it's all good.


In the following sentence is the 方 used as 'かた' or as 'ほう'




このぺーパーの方が圧倒的に多いので何言ってるのか分からない方も多いと思いますが…。



I think the second part means something like "...I think, there are many people who don't know what to say..." in which case 方 would be read as かた. But I can't really make sense of the first part. Usually, I'd assume "の方が" was being used to establish that something is more than something else, but there is nothing in the text to compare to.


Any help is much appreciated! :)



Answer




「このぺーパーのが圧倒的{あっとうてき}に多{おお}いので何言{なにい}ってるのか分{わ}からないも多いと思{おも}いますが…。」



Strictly speaking, you did not provide enough context. For instance, where does 「ペーパー」 come from? What "paper" does it refer to? So, I am going to rely on my instinct.


My hunch is that 「ペーパー」 is the material for (many) coasters as opposed to the rubber ones that you mentioned as being part of the context.



If that is indeed the case, then the first 「方」 would be read 「ほう」 for comparison and the second 「方」, 「かた」 for referring to people.



"Because there exist far more paper ones, many of you (many people) might not know what I am even talking about."



What the author is talking about, of course, are the rubber coasters.


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