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In a story I was reading, the protagonist was given a reward he didn't want or
have use for and the person giving the reward said "では、どなたかにでもあげて下さい。" What
does どなたかにでも mean? Is the speaker saying "give it to someone or something"? Or
is there a different meaning?
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2016-09-28T06:55:39.030
39542
2016-09-28T07:31:10.230
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question
grammar meaning particle-でも
A question concerning どなたかにでも
* どなた is an honorific version of だれ ("who"), and どなたか is an honorific version of だれか ("someone").
  * でも is a particle that implies the preceding phrase is not the only option. You can translate it as "something like", "or so" etc. You can also use a softener word such as "maybe":

>
> [でも［係助］](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/152508/meaning/m0u/%E3%81%A7%E3%82%82/)  
>  ３ 物事をはっきりと言わず、 **一例として挙げる** 意を表す。「けが―したら大変だ」「兄に―相談するか」

See: [Meaning of "でも" in
"食事でもどうですか？"](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/21519/5010)

So the sentence means "Then, maybe you can give it to someone (else, after
receiving it. So please accept this reward for now)."

In this context, どなたかにあげでもしてください means the same thing.
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2016-09-28T07:18:28.187
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2016-09-28T07:31:10.230
2017-04-13T12:43:44.740
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answer