想いがこみ上げて、目に涙が滲んでいくのがわかった。

会いたい。会って話がしたい。

それが叶わない以前に、今更叶えたらいけないことだと分かっているから、ぐっ…と唇を噛み締めて堪える。

The character is wishing to meet his family (who is alive but he can't meet
them for reasons) and he says this.

How is 以前に being used in this sentence exactly?

"Far not coming true, I can't grant it"?
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-11T14:51:04.470
99591
2023-05-12T02:51:31.440
55492
question
particles particle-に reading-comprehension
Use of 以前に in this sentence
以前に sets the tone that we are thinking or talking about (taking into
consideration) something from beforehand in this case. Pairing this with
それが叶わない we get something like "Before that (meeting / seeing his family) would
not have come true".

With the rest of it added in we get something like:

> 想いがこみ上げて、目に涙が滲んでいくのがわかった。
>
> 会いたい。会って話がしたい。
>
> それが叶わない以前に、今更叶えたらいけないことだと分かっているから、ぐっ…と唇を噛み締めて堪える。
>
> The thought of it makes me sick. I know the tears will come.
>
> I want to meet. I want to meet and talk.
>
> Before that wouldn't have come true (as in happen / come to fruition). I
> bite my lip and endure, because I now know if it were to come true it won't
> be good.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-11T16:36:51.013
99593
2023-05-11T21:42:11.730
2023-05-11T21:42:11.730
30339
30339
99591
answer
This type of 以前に is used to describe there is a more important or fundamental
problem to begin with. Think of it as "before considering ～".

> 行きたいかどうか以前に、お金がない。  
>  = 行きたいかどうか以前の問題として、お金がない。
>
> Before even considering if I want to go, I have no money (in the first
> place).  
>  The question is not whether I want to go; I don't have money to begin with.

In your case, the sentence says it's not even a matter of whether he can meet
his family again. He knows he shouldn't even hope for that anymore in the fist
place.

Related: <https://nihongo-arekore.com/post-6230/>
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-12T02:51:31.440
99601
2023-05-12T02:51:31.440
5010
99591
answer