A conjunction indicating that a single factors causes a negative situation.
Formation:
(i) Vinf.past ・食べたばかりに
(ii) Adj(i)inf ・難し｛い・かった｝ばかりに
(iii) Adj(na)stem・ 不便｛な・である・だった・であった｝ばかりに
(iv) N・先生{である・だった・であった｝ばかりに
（１）僕が一言変なことを言ったばかりに彼女との関係は悪くなったしまった。
Just because I said one strange thing to her, my relationship with her deteriorated.
（２）あの日たまたま休んでいたばかりに、大事な連絡を聞きそびれた。
I missed a really important announcement just because I happened to be absent that day.
（３）お金がなっかたばかりに、映画もろくに見られなかった。
I couldnt even go to the movies, just because I didnt have any money.
Notes
(1) The conjunction ばかりに is used to indicate that a single factor causes a negative situation.
(2) The main clause (i.e. not the ばかりに clause?!) indicates the resulting negative situation, but when the ばかりに clause takes the auxiliary adjective ～たい the main clause can indicate effort. For example...
あいつは目立ちたいばかりに似合わない派手な背広を着ている。
He is wearing a gaudy suit jacket that doesnt suit him just because he is so eager to stand out.
(3) If ばかりに is preceded by と it has a totally different meaning "as if someone were saying"
彼は今がチャンスとばかりに彼女に言い寄った。
As if he was saying "now is my chance" he made advances towards her.
Monday, August 24, 2009
だけに・as one would expect; so (naturally); because - phrase
A phrase that carries the idea "as one would expect".
Formation:
Vinf だけに・教えている/教えていただけに
Adj(i)inf だけに・若い/若かった だけに
Adj(na)stem だけに・上手な/上手だった だけに
N だけに・先生・せんせいだった だけに
（１）ビルは元フットボール選手だけに足が速い。
Bill used to be a football player and, as one would expect, he runs fast.
（２）ホワイトさんは長い間日本に住んでいただけに日本のことをよく知っている。
Mr White lived a long time in Japan, so naturally he is very familiar with things related to Japan.
（３）彼は元アナウーンサーだけに声がよく通る。
He used to be an announcer, soo naturally his voice carries well.
S1 だけに S2 is used when S2 is something that can be expected from S1 where S1 represents a fact.
The adverb さすが sometimes occurs with だけに. This adverb indicates that the speaker is impressed by what S2 represents. Note S2 must be something impressive, so use with an unimpressive S2 is ungrammatical. さすが appears in S1 before or after the topic.
彼はさすが元アナウーンサーだけに声がよく通る。
さすが彼は元アナウーンサーだけに声がよく通る
Related expressions
だっけあって is synonymous with だけに when they are used to meean "as one would expect". However だっけあった cannot be used when S2 represents something undesireable or when the whole sentence is about a negative expecation.
Formation:
Vinf だけに・教えている/教えていただけに
Adj(i)inf だけに・若い/若かった だけに
Adj(na)stem だけに・上手な/上手だった だけに
N だけに・先生・せんせいだった だけに
（１）ビルは元フットボール選手だけに足が速い。
Bill used to be a football player and, as one would expect, he runs fast.
（２）ホワイトさんは長い間日本に住んでいただけに日本のことをよく知っている。
Mr White lived a long time in Japan, so naturally he is very familiar with things related to Japan.
（３）彼は元アナウーンサーだけに声がよく通る。
He used to be an announcer, soo naturally his voice carries well.
S1 だけに S2 is used when S2 is something that can be expected from S1 where S1 represents a fact.
The adverb さすが sometimes occurs with だけに. This adverb indicates that the speaker is impressed by what S2 represents. Note S2 must be something impressive, so use with an unimpressive S2 is ungrammatical. さすが appears in S1 before or after the topic.
彼はさすが元アナウーンサーだけに声がよく通る。
さすが彼は元アナウーンサーだけに声がよく通る
Related expressions
だっけあって is synonymous with だけに when they are used to meean "as one would expect". However だっけあった cannot be used when S2 represents something undesireable or when the whole sentence is about a negative expecation.
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