44061
If its original meaning is "that kind of", which is what I think it is, why is
it used to say "it can't be"? Is that the same word or is it just a
coincidence?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-03T19:32:42.527
44046
2017-03-04T09:08:23.840
2017-03-04T09:08:23.840
19357
20130
question
expressions
What is the etymology of the expression 「そんな」?
It is the same word used differently.

The "dictionary" meaning of 「そんな」 is " **that kind of** ", " **such (a)** ",
etc. as you stated.

When 「そんな」 (very often pronounced 「そんなあ」 for this) is used as an expression on
its own as in a reply or reaction to a statement, it can correctly be
translated as " **It can't be!** ", " **I don't believe this!** ", " **Oh,
no!** ", etc.

But why, you wonder. That is because when we say 「そんなあ」 as a reaction, what we
actually mean is " **It can't be like that!** ", " **I don't believe something
like that!** ", etc.

In other words, you could say that the expression is the extremely shortened
form of sentences such as:

> 「 **そんな** こと、信{しん}じられない！」 ("I can't believe something like that!")
>
> 「 **そんな** こと言{い}われても困{こま}る。」 ("I'm troubled by a statement like that.")
>
> 「 **そんな** こと言わないでよ。」 ("Please don't say something like that!")

By not saying the rest of the sentence, we can maintain our national obsession
for ambiguity. Just kiddin'. Among us, 「そんなあ」 is a long enough sentence. It
conveys exactly what we mean to say. We do not need to add the words when the
native speaker listener/reader is already actually "hearing or seeing" them
quite clearly.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-04T04:22:55.750
44061
2017-03-04T04:38:51.753
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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44046
answer