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What's the nuance between saying

「話したくない」

vs

「話すことが欲しくない」?
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2021-03-09T02:32:34.453
84508
2021-03-09T11:48:45.333
2021-03-09T02:43:05.427
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question
meaning word-choice
～たくない vs ～ことが欲しくない
話すことが欲しくない is simply ungrammatical. It makes no sense. In English, you use the
same verb, _want_ , to say both "I want [something]" and "I want to [do some
action]". In Japanese, you have to use completely different constructions for
these meanings, simply because they are different in meaning. You have to say
～が欲しい for "I want [something]", and ～(し)たい for "I want to [do something]".
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2021-03-09T04:01:16.670
84511
2021-03-09T04:01:16.670
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answer
ほしい～ when used to modify an action (verb) indicates that that action is done
by parties other than the speaker. For example, 「話してほしい」means [I] want [you]
to talk [to me about x]. Used in this sense, ほしい cannot be used to modify
actions done by the speaker himself. You cannot say 「話すことがほしくない」if you mean to
say "I don't want to talk" because you are the person doing the talking.

Note that this use of ほしい only applies when it is used to modify actions. You
can say 「りんごがほしい」"I want an apple" and it would make perfect sense.
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2021-03-09T11:48:45.333
84517
2021-03-09T11:48:45.333
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answer