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I apologize if this is a basic question, but it's something I've never been
entirely clear on. When using the verb 言う (to say), I can never figure out
whether to use the particle -と or the particle -を for the thing being said. I
know that -と is used for quotations, but what about when the thing being said
is not a direct quotation? For example, is it acceptable to say:

> 彼女は何と言いましたか。  
>  What did she say?

or

> 先生が宿題の締切りと言いましたか。  
>  Did the teacher say what the deadline on the homework is?

In these two situations, I'm not sure whether to use を or と. Can anyone tell
me what the difference between is?
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2013-09-06T19:22:08.960
12755
2013-09-07T17:58:12.767
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question
word-choice particles particle-を particle-と
What is the difference between using を and と with the verb 言う?
I feel like this has been asked before, but I can't find it if it has. You've
got it spot on with `と` being the quotation marker; that is `Xと言う` means that
**X** was literally (more or less) what was said. Using `を` is more about the
meaning/gist/essence of what is said. Here's a pair that I always remember to
help distinguish them.

>   * なにを言ってるのか？ → "What are you saying?" meaning "I don't understand what
> you're talking about"
>   * なんと言ってるのか？ → "What are you saying?" meaning "I don't/can't understand
> the words you're speaking" (maybe they are mumbling; phone conversation
> static-y and breaking up; etc.)
>

Or this set

>   * なにを言ったらいいか？ → "What/How should I say (this)?" meaning "What's the best
> _way_ for me to explain this?"
>   * なんと言ったらいいか？ → "What should I say?" meaning "What's the best wording for
> what I want to say?"
>

With your examples, the first one could be either - `彼女は何を／と言いました？` - but
again, the meaning would change slightly (the meaning or exact wording of what
she said) as I mentioned above. With the second one, `を` is more correct for
the context.

>   * 先生が宿題の締切を言いましたか。 → Did the teacher tell us the deadline for the
> homework? → The meaning of "the homework's deadline" would be an exact
> date/time.
>   * 先生が宿題の締切といいましたか。 → Did the teacher say "the homework's deadline"? → Not
> likely that the teacher would have said that exact phrase.
>
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2013-09-06T19:55:46.960
12756
2013-09-07T17:58:12.767
2013-09-07T17:58:12.767
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answer