`だが` is often attached to the subject/topic of a sentence as follows, with my
supposed translation.

> 近くに住む叔父だが, 最近具合が悪いと聞いている.  
>  'Speaking of my uncle who lives close-by, I've heard lately he's isn't
> doing fine.'

Does such `だが` give the subject a special meaning? Is the translation correct?
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2012-06-13T09:04:27.043
5848
2012-06-14T12:04:34.977
2012-06-13T10:49:27.153
1433
question
copula conjunctions
だが attached to the subject/topic
Syntactically, it is the copula `だ` with conjunct `が`, probably used in a
cleft sentence with some omission. `が` often connects contrasting clauses, but
as with this case, it can just connect two clauses that do not contrast. The
literal translation is

> ' **On top of the fact that** (it) **is** my uncle who lives close-by (that
> I am going to talk about), I've heard that he isn't doing fine lately.

A more natural translation may be close to yours:

> 'Speaking of my uncle who lives close-by, I've heard that he isn't doing
> fine lately.

The mistake you made is the scope of `最近` 'lately'. It should not be "heard
lately" but should be "not doing fine lately". Or, maybe you took that
correctly, but your translation is ambiguous.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-13T10:59:41.223
5849
2012-06-14T12:04:34.977
2012-06-14T12:04:34.977
5848
answer