3958
I came across the structure `[V simple-past]とはいえ、、、、` and I can't figure out
exactly what it means.

I found this `いえ` is `言え`, and it means the same as `とは言うものの`... which I don't
really understand perfectly either, to be honest. As far as I can tell it
seems to mean "With that being said, X."

Am I close to the mark, or far off?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-09T00:53:11.077
3949
2016-03-02T22:30:28.843
2016-03-02T22:30:28.843
921
question
grammar conjunctions
What exactly does とはいえ mean?
You are right that both `とはいえ` and `とはいうものの` are similar things, but your
translation is not quite right. They mean 'even though they say A, B'
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-09T02:18:17.257
3952
2016-03-02T22:11:09.467
2016-03-02T22:11:09.467
9831
3949
answer
とはいえ＝といっても (approximately), meaning "although."

It's similar to 〜くあれ＝〜くても or ＡあれＢ＝ＡあってもＢ, in that it's a written-style usage
of the imperative that functions as a concessive. That is, it's conceding
something: although, though, even though, yet, however, etc.

春【はる】とはいえまだ寒【さむ】い。 = Although it's spring, it's still cold.

Keep in mind that this isn't 言【い】う in the sense of "he said ___," but more in
the broader sense of defining and describing a concept. As a general point,
while you're correct that いう is 言【い】う, the two spellings imply different
usage. Although it's not a _rule_ , generally 言【い】う will refer to an action,
like something directly spoken:

何度【なんど】も言【い】った。 = I've said it several times.

いう, on the other hand, generally used in phrases like という or こういう, has the
broader senses of defining, describing, quoting, emphasizing, etc. It implies
a grammatical function (like とはいえ):

日本【にほん】という国【くに】 = The country (called) Japan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-12-09T05:25:01.570
3958
2011-12-09T05:33:47.000
2011-12-09T05:33:47.000
457
457
3949
answer
I interpret it as the imperative 言え, which relates it to ～にしろ、～にせよ, which have
similar functions. Then it becomes "That said...", and, in the case of the
other two examples, it's the ～にする construction with the imperative, which
comes out to "Then assume X, [it still doesn't change my conclusion which is
Y]".

> どっちにしろ、今はここで待つしかない。  
>  Either way, all [we/I] can do now is wait here.  
>  とは言え、直ぐに方針を変えるわけにはいかない。  
>  That said, it won't do to change our course immediately.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-26T10:59:02.483
11340
2016-02-29T06:57:22.180
2016-02-29T06:57:22.180
9831
3131
3949
answer