Thursday, 27 October 2016

grammar - Confusion with だけに vs. だけあって



直子は七歳のときに家出したが、聡明な _______ 、見つかることなく十日間もひとりで生きていた。



a) だけあって
b) だけに
c) だけ
d) だけは



Answers say that A is proper, but according to my knowledge a and b are synonymous (though だけに can be used when the result is negative, while だけあって cannot).


Why isn't B a valid answer as well?



Answer



Sometimes だけあって and だけに are interchangeable sometimes they aren't.


In the case they are interchangeable is when the result is what is to be expected. For example, 彼が自慢するだけあって、彼女は美しい and 彼が自慢するだけに、彼女は美しい are natural.



In the case they are not interchangeable is when the result is whether to be expected or not. だけあって is used for the result that is expected, だけに is used for the result that is not expected. For example, 優秀なだけあって、彼の業績はすばらしい is more natural than 優秀なだけに、彼の業績は素晴らしい because the result caused by the reason is what is to be expected. On the other hand, 優秀なだけに、彼が会社を辞めるのは惜しい is natural, not 優秀なだけあって、彼が会社を辞めるのは惜しい because the result is not what is to be expected.


As for your sentence, the result 見つかることなく十日間もひとりで生きていた caused by the reason 彼女が聡明であること is what is to be expected, so they may be interchangeable. However if I am asked which one is better when the result is what is to be expected , I will answer だけあって is better.


Source:https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/17215/meaning/m0u/


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