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In English, abbreviated sentence structure can convey contempt, disgust,
anger, etc. — "I'm a doctor, not a mechanic" has a much stronger impact than
"I am a doctor. I am not a mechanic." Articles also strengthen impact - "I am
the doctor" carries a strong implication, while "I am a doctor" is very mild.

How does that impact translate to Japanese, where negation is tied to the
verb, and articles like 'a' and 'the' are implied/interchangeable? If I want
to say "I am the wind, not the willow", it seems almost impossible to convey
that same... ferocity? Or is there a way to express that impact?

私は風です seems fine enough to start.

私は風です、私は柳の木ではありません is the most literal translation, but feels like it has no
impact.

私は風です、私は柳の木ではない has a little more impact, but seems to change the meaning.

私は風です、柳の木ではありません is stronger, but can I leave out 私は in that fashion?

私は風です、柳ではありません is the closest to what I'm trying to say, but does using 柳 for
柳の木 translate the same as saying Willow for Willow Tree in English? Or is that
like saying "I am the blue". ...the blue what?

How do you convey the same impact of shortened English sentence structure?
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2019-07-20T13:54:31.807
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2019-07-20T15:09:15.333
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question
meaning negation
Sentence impact: Articles, Negation without verb
It is actually much simpler than you appear to somewhat firmly believe. To
give you the answer first, you can say:

> 「私は、柳{やなぎ}（の木{き}）では **なく** 、風{かぜ}である/です。」

「なく」is the 連用形{れんようけい} ("continuative form") of the adjective 「ない」; therefore,
it can be correctly used mid-sentence and the sentence can still continue on.
Use of 連用形 would surely help you write impactful sentences. For instance,

「空{そら}は青{あお} **く** 広{ひろ}い。」 is more concise and impactful than 「空は青 **い**
、そして広い。」. 「青く」 is, of course, the 連用形 of 「青い」.

All of your own attempts are grammatical and they convey your intended
meaning, but they sound too wordy. Using 「私」 twice in such a short passage
makes your writing sound very "foreign".

Japanese is an extremely contextual language. If it is clear from the context
that the speaker is talking about none other than himself, you will not have
to use 「私」 even once. 「柳（の木）ではなく、風です。」 is a perfectly natural-sounding and
grammatical sentence in Japanese.

> but does using 柳 for 柳の木 translate the same as saying Willow for Willow Tree
> in English?

No, it does not. 「柳」 can refer both to the species of tree and the actual tree
itself.
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2019-07-20T14:20:15.103
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2019-07-20T15:09:15.333
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answer