Confusion: 誰も知らない

7 comments

1. The combination of 誰も …. ない means nobody. It’s a grammer rule.

2. Such a heart breaking movie though T-T

3. It means both depending on whether you’re treating 誰 as the subject or the object of 知らない. 誰もなになにを知らない。　私は誰も知らない。It’s an ellipsis, meaning it’s not a full sentence, so have you have judge it based on context.

4. Just one more example to help you grasp it.
   未来は誰にもわからない

5. Without context, it can mean two things. 1 is “I don’t know anyone” ( 「明日のパーティに行かない？」「誰も知らないけど〜」). 2 is “Nobody knows” ( 「田中さん急に病気になっちゃった。なぜかまだ誰も知らない」

6. The important part here is “〜も”, which like “〜は”, “〜しか”, “〜でも” and “〜まで” [the last two only when meaning “even”, not when meaning “also in” or “until” which are essentially different particles] when coming “behind” “〜を” and “〜が” completely replace them, thus making it ambiguous which one it was. This rule does not change for “誰”.

   So for instance to add “〜も” to say “先生にあげる。” it becomes “先生にもあげる。” but both “先生があげる。” and “先生をあげる。” become “先生もあげる。” so it becomes ambiguous whether it means “The teacher gives too.” or “<something> gives the teacher too.”, but since teachers are seldom given, it is quite clear in this case.

   So, in this sense “誰も知らない” does not reveal whether it’s actually “誰が” or “誰を” “under it”. This is the same with the other particles I mentioned. But for instance isn’t the case with “だけ” which comes in front of them, not after it.

   As for “〜でも” and “〜まで”, this is why these are so tricky since there are essentially two versions of both in how they function. So “日本でも食べる。” can mean either ”<something> eats in Japan as well.” in which case it’s simply ”〜も” added to “〜で” again, but it can also mean “Even Japan eats.” or “<something> eats even Japan.”, in which case “〜でも” can be seen as a more emphatic version of “〜も”. Indeed, one can even say “日本ででも食べる。” to mean “<something> eats in even Japan.”

7. 誰も+ない is nobody just as 何も+ない is nothing