34
THE NOUN.
For further information concerning the honorifics, which form so important an element of Japanese speech, see Chapter XI.
VARIOUS KINDS OF NOUNS.
11 52. Abstract nouns expressing degree as well as quality often end in sa, which probably stands for the word sama, " appearance," thus :
atsusa, "heat," " the degree of heat."
omoshirosa, "fun," "interest," "the degree of fun."
samusa, "cold," "the degree of cold."
shirosa, "whiteness, "the degree of whiteness."
It 53. These nouns in sa must be distinguished from the periphrasis formed by means of an adjective or verb and the word koto, " [an abstract] thing," " a fact," " an act," as
atsui koto, " heat," " the fact of being hot."
kitanai koto, " dirtiness," " the fact that something is
dirty."
shiroi koto, " whiteness," " the fact that something is
white."
machigatta koto,] " a mistake," "the fact that some lit. mistook thing] one has made a mistake.
shimpo sum koto, " progress " (the noun) ; also "to
lit. ^progress makes thing f progress " (the Verb).
on wo shiranai koto, tt ; n o. rat : tnr i P "
lit. kindness [accus. particle} ignores thing j
These periphrases in koto are often used exclamatorily, as :
Atsui koto ! Oh ! how hot it is !
Kusai koto ! Oh ! what a stink !
