I am pretty sure I have heard native speakers say things like

> あの大事故の中で、けが一つなかったのは奇跡と言うほかありません

My question is can I use this construct or the similar usage ほかしかたがない to
describe something decidedly negative? For example:

> そんなことを言ってただで済まないぞ。お前は学校の恥と言う(より)ほか(は)ない！

I seem to have seen similar sentences, but I am not sure it sounds completely
natural in this context. Would the abridged version sound more natural? What
about these options:

> 学校の恥と言うよりほかはない
>
> 学校の恥と言うほかはない
>
> 学校の恥と言うよりほかない
>
> 学校の恥と言うほかない
>
> 学校の恥と言うほかしかたがない

The last one sounds strange to me but ほかしかたがない seems interchangeable with
よりほかはない in a lot of contexts. Also is there a better phrase to express what I
am trying to say?
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question
usage phrases
よりほかはない　ほかしかたがない
Generally, the following can be used similarly in negative/positive
statements.

  * {しか,より}ない
  * ほか({に,は})ない
  * よりほか({に,は})ない
  * ほか(に)しかた(が)ない
  * よりしかた(が)ない
  * よりほか(に)しかた(が)ない

Some are more common than others. I guess looking at web resources
([1](https://nihongokyoshi-net.com/2018/07/04/jlptn3-grammar-shikanai-
hokanai/), [2](https://nihongonosensei.net/?p=3535),
[3](https://tanosuke.com/n2-yorihokanai), for example) shows which are more
common.

For your question, I think it is ok, but perhaps slightly odd. My feeling is
that it is more natural as a objective comment rather than an emotional phrase
in the question. For example, "今回の不祥事は学校の恥と申し上げるほかありません" would be natural
enough.

Regarding the difference among variants, I think they are mostly
interchangeable but those with しかたがない may sound odd depending on the meaning.
Basically it adds a sense of giving up. For example

  1. [大谷](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shohei_Ohtani)の活躍は見事というほかない
  2. 大谷の活躍は見事というほか仕方ない

1 sounds simply praising Ohtani's performance whereas 2 is likely to be said
by someone who is negatively affected by his good performance, e.g. players in
the other teams.

* * *

Another phrase worth noting is ざるを得ない.

  * [よりほか(は)ない／ざるを得ない の解説 - 小学館 類語例解辞典](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/17301/meaning/m0u/)
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answer