3307
This is a an example sentence from a [JLPT](http://www.jlpt.jp/e/) textbook to
explain the use of `たらしめる`:

> 想像力{そうぞうりょく}こそ作品{さくひん}を芸術{げいじゅつ}たらしめる要素{ようそ}である。

I understand the meaning, which is something like, "The key element in making
a work of art out of ability is imagination."

I have this sentence in my flashcards, and even though I've looked at it
dozens of times, it still seems awkward to me.

To make a long story short, it feels like it should be something like:

> 想像力{そうぞうりょく}こそ作品{さくひん}を芸術{げいじゅつ}たらしめる **のは** 要素{ようそ}である。

Is my `のは` version any more or less grammatical? Is it merely wrong? Does it
change the meaning?

If the original sentence is fine, can someone break down for me how the first
part of the sentence (up to the end of `たらしめる`) connects and relates to the
end part (`要素{ようそ}である`)?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-09-27T05:25:10.150
3303
2015-09-30T00:32:48.643
2015-09-30T00:13:54.453
119
119
question
grammar particle-の particle-は
Shouldn't there be a のは in this sentence?
I would add "に", not のは :)

> 想像力こそ作品を芸術* _に_ *たらしめる要素である。
```

    "Imagination is the element that turns creations into art."
    
```

But I'm not very sure, mostly because, I can't parse 芸術 followed by たらしめる.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-09-27T05:41:18.980
3305
2011-09-27T05:41:18.980
356
3303
answer
芸術たらしめる is the causative form of 芸術たる. This たる is the [たる discussed
here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/2191/whats-the-literal-and-
natural-translation-of). There are nuances, but basically たらしめる means "cause
to be". (Roughly equivalent to ... にさせる in many cases, I think.)

So the sentence is complete as it is:

  * 想像力こそ = "Imagination..." + こそ (こそ is a whole other question)
  * 作品を芸術たらしめる要素 = "the element that causes 'works' 作品 to be(come) 'art' 芸術"
  * である = "... is" (copula)

Put that way, I think you can see that it is similar to a standard "A は B である"
sentence, albeit with こそ instead of は. All together, it means, in very literal
translation and not attempting to do anything clever with こそ:

  * Imagination (想像力) is the element (要素) that turns 'works' (作品) into 'art' (芸術).
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-09-27T06:00:46.293
3306
2011-09-27T06:00:46.293
2017-04-13T12:43:43.857
-1
531
3303
answer
With respect to the meaning of たらしめる, you can just follow what Matt writes,
but let me add a few things.

  * `こそ` is used to add emphasis to that noun. A literal translation will be `It is ... that is ...`.
  * Your addition of `のは` simply makes it ungrammatical. `作品を芸術たらしめる` is a relative clause that modifies the noun `要素`. And your parsing is wrong; `要素である` does not come together as one.

So a literal translation will be:

> It is imagination that is the element that enables a piece of work to be an
> art.

In the following, the outer brackets represent the noun phrase, and the inner
brackets the relative clause.

> 想像力こそ[[作品を芸術たらしめる]要素]である。  
>  It is imagination that is [the element [that enables a piece of work to be
> an art]].
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-09-27T06:13:09.113
3307
2015-09-30T00:32:48.643
2015-09-30T00:32:48.643
3303
answer
Very good answers, I see. The only thing I would add is that "こそ" adds the
nuance that an italicized "the" has in English. "Imagination is _the_ element
that turns creations into art."
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-06T02:22:59.653
4198
2012-01-06T02:22:59.653
1027
3303
answer