For 飲みつつそう言った, I'm confused on how it works because a person can't really say
anything while water is in their mouth. However, does that mean the person
talked in between sips or does it mean that the person has yet to actually
drink anything and simply talked while raising the cup to his lips? I also saw
a sentence like 聴衆の前に立ちつつ、新製品の発表を行った, so does it mean that the person already
finished drinking and said it since 立ちつつ means the person was already
standing, not doing the action while in the process of getting to one's feet?
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2015-02-16T02:29:30.523
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2015-02-16T10:05:33.187
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question
grammar
How does つつ work in a sentence like 飲みつつそう言った?
You have to regard the verbs (飲む, 立つ) not as actions, but more like "states of
being." 「立ちつつ」 means the person announced the product while in a state of
standing. Same with 「飲みつつ」, where "state of drinking" does not begin and end
with each sip, but rather continues while the person continues to take sips.

I guess in English, you could similarly say "He/She said so while sipping on
their drink," even though, as you point out, it is very hard to say anything
with liquid in your mouth!
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2015-02-16T04:11:11.067
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answer
> つつ = ながら

飲み **つつ** そう言った = 飲み **ながら** そう言った

Drink = (to have a glass in hand + carry contents into mouth + put down glass)

Action1 (drink)

> Start(have a glass) ----- carry contents into mouth(once or multiple times)
> ----- End(put down the glass)

Action2 (say)

> Start ---- End

Although you are not drinking when you are talking, what does not stop is not
the behavior of drinking. For example, you are drinking as long as the glass
is in your hand.
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2015-02-16T06:54:59.147
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answer