60409
In Argentina (I'm not sure if it counts for other spanish speaking countries)
when we have doubts before saying something, sometimes we say "ehhhh", this
can be done voluntarily or involuntarily, sometimes having doubts before
speaking will trigger "ehhhh"'s without we want it to say it, not done
purposely to express doubt. Is eto a word with a similar function? This looks
so to me in films, but may be it's nothing like that. What is eto for or what
does it mean exactly?
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2018-07-26T00:20:18.987
60407
2018-07-26T05:46:56.940
9878
question
translation interjections
Can eto be used to show doubt before speaking or it's another kind of interjection?
Sorry I don't know the "ehhhh" in Argentina, but I know ええと{eeto} and it's not
an interjection, basing on the definition of interjection under [Merriam
Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interjection). ええと is what
you say when you are still thinking of the exact words that you really want to
say, but just don't want the person you are talking to, to wait. It's like
"er..", "uhhh", "well...", etc. in English. For example:

> Question: [明日]{Ashita}[の]{no}[飲み会]{nomikai}[は]{wa}[参加]{sanka}[しますか]{shimasu
> ka}。
>
> Are you coming to tomorrow's drinking party?
>
> Answer: ええと{Eeto}、まだ{mada}[決めていない]{kimete inai}のですが{no desu
> ga}[今夜]{konya}[帰る]{kaeru}までに{made
> ni}[決める]{kimeru}ので{node}、[もう]{mou}[少し]{sukoshi}[待って]{matte}くれる{kureru}？
>
> Uh...I still haven't decided on that, but I will before leaving tonight. Can
> you wait some more?

However, as pointed out by Halfway Dillitante, it could also show hesitation
or doubt especially when in combination with facial expressions or tone of
voice. In the same example, the person being asked may have actually decided
whether to come or not, but just didn't want to give his answer straight away.
In Japanese society, outright refusal can sometimes be frowned upon. This is
similar to situations when Japanese say [難しい]{muzukashii} when they actually
wanted to say "No" to something like a request or invitation but didn't want
to offend the person asking.
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2018-07-26T03:18:00.947
60409
2018-07-26T05:46:56.940
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
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answer