100810
> ピーブズよりやっかいなのは...そんなのがいるとすれば **の話だが**...管理人のアーグスフィルチだった。  
>  The thing that was a bigger nuisance than Peeves...if there was such a
> thing... was the caretaker, Argus Filch.

I'm struggling to understand what の話だが does in this sentence. It seems to me
to be perfectly grammatical, and makes sense, without it.

そんなのがいるとすれば = "If we consider such a thing to exist".

In the grammar I know you can't add anything on to ば so I'm guessing とすればの話だが
is some kind of set phrase.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-27T15:08:45.833
100809
2023-08-27T16:44:40.823
7944
question
grammar set-phrases conditionals
Meaning of とすればの話だが
とすればの話だが may not be a set phrase, but の話 is a versatile phrase used like so:

  * もしもの話だが、…  
Hypothetically speaking, ...

  * ここだけの話だが、…  
This is just between you and me, but ...

  * いつかの話ですけど、旅行に行きたいですね。  
It's not for now, but I'd like to go on a trip.

  * 全部覚えればいいだけの話だ。  
All you have to do is remember them all.

  * それを買ってからの話です。  
That's something to consider after the purchase.

  * できるできないの話ではない、やれ。  
It's not a matter of whether you can or can't. Do it.

  * [～どころの話ではない](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/39586/5010)

This type of 話 is difficult to translate directly, but I feel the English word
"matter" is close. The part before の話 is quite flexible. Xの話だが is used to
provide a precondition that you want the listener to know before diving into
the topic.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-27T16:44:40.823
100810
2023-08-27T16:44:40.823
5010
100809
answer