14754
Just as the title says, I'm looking for the meaning of this construction, as
it is used in the following sentence:

> 野菜や果物の害虫を防ぐために、さまざまな農薬が使われているが、これは人間の健康の面から考えると、問題がある **と言えよう** 。
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-05T21:37:07.310
14751
2016-02-13T07:15:16.193
2016-02-13T07:15:16.193
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question
grammar usage
Meaning of ～と言えよう
言えよう = 言えるだろう

The よう part is the same as the ろう part of だろう, both originated from
[む](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/214421/m0u/%E3%82%80/). In modern
Japanese, you will use だろう for all verbs, nouns and adjectives for this
meaning. But in classic Japanese, you use different forms for them. Although
slightly archaic, they are still used in academic writings.

```

    よい → よかろう = よいだろう
    神だ → 神であろう = 神だろう
    言える → 言えよう = 言えるだろう
    
```

But volitional verbs can't be used in this way.

```

    行こう ≠ 行くだろう
    
```
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-05T21:52:21.740
14753
2014-03-05T22:13:11.520
2014-03-05T22:13:11.520
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answer
言う means to say. 言える means can say. 言えよう is the volitional form of 言える.

Therefore 言えよう means something along the lines of "It can be said" or "It
could probably be said" and expresses a little bit of uncertainty in the
statement. It may also be that the speaker doesn't want to express absolute
agreement with the statement by using 言える in this way.

In context, 問題があると言えよう means something like "It can be said that there is a
problem." or "It could probably be said that a problem exists".
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-05T22:37:22.040
14754
2014-03-05T23:06:03.593
2014-03-05T23:06:03.593
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answer