Today’s Question

If I say to Suzuki-san, “鈴木すずきさん、田中たなかさんという人ひとから電話でんわがありましたよ。”
Do Suzuki-san, Tanaka-san and I know one another very well?

Today’s Grammar Point: ～という…

Connection

[noun ～] という [noun …]
[clause] という [noun …]

Meaning

[noun ～] という [noun …]: [noun …] called [noun ～]
This implies that the speaker is unfamiliar with the [noun ～] and/or that the speaker doesn’t think the hearer(s) is/are familiar with the [noun ～]

[clause] という [noun …]: a/the [noun …] that [clause ～]
With this the [clause] explains the content of the [noun …]

Examples of [noun ～] という [noun …]: [noun …] called [noun ～]

1. 田中たなかさんという人ひとから電話でんわがありました。
   There was a call from a person called Mr. Tanaka called.
   (implies that I don’t really know Mr. Tanaka or that I don’t think Mr. Suzuki knows Mr. Tanaka.)
   • Cf. 田中たなかさんから電話でんわがありましたよ。
     There was a call from Mr. Tanaka.
     (implies that we both know Mr. Tanaka.)
2. クグロフというケーキを食たべてみたい。
   I want to try a cake called a gugelhupf.
   (implies that the speaker thinks the hearer may not know what gugelhupf is.)
3. 源氏物語げんじものがたりという日本の古典こてんを読よんだことがありますか。
   Have you read a Japanese classic called the Tale of Genji?
   (implies that the speaker thinks the hearer may not know what Genji Monogatari is.)

Examples of [clause] という [noun …]: a/the [noun …] that [clause ～]

1. 昨日きのう東京とうきょうで地震じしんがあったというニュースが入はいってきました。
   The news has just come in that there was an earthquake in Tokyo.
2. 源氏物語げんじものがたりの冒頭部分ぼうとうぶぶんを暗唱あんしょうするという宿題しゅくだいが出でた。
   A homework has been set that I have to recite the beginning part of The Tale of Genji from memory.
3. 母ははが危篤きとくだという知しらせが来きた。
   The news came in that my mother is in a critical condition.
4. 好すきな人ひとと一緒いっしょに暮くらせるという幸しあわせは何なににも代かえられない。
   Nothing can replace the happiness that I can live with a person I love.
5. 父ちちは毎日まいにち五キロ歩あるくという日課にっかを今いまも続つづけている。
   My father is still following his daily work of walking 5 km every day.

Answer to Today’s Question:

The phrase ～という suggests that Mr. Tanaka is unfamiliar to me and/or Mr. Suzuki.

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