なんて

See also: なんで

Japanese

Etymology 1

A contraction of phrase 等 (nado, “and so forth, etc.”) + とて (tote, particle combination indicating “that kind of thing”, from と to, quotative particle + て te, conjunctive particle).[1]

Some sources describe this as a shift from 等 (nado) + と (to),[2][3][4] or from 等 (nado) + と (to) + は (wa, topic particle),[4] or even just from 等 (nado),[4] but the phonetic shift in the final vowel from -o or -a to -e is unexplainable in these hypotheses.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [nã̠nte̞]

Particle

なんて (rōmaji nante)

  1. (adverbial particle, dismissive, pejorative) emphasizes disgust, contempt, or otherwise negative feelings of the speaker: whatever
    お前 (まえ)なんてどうでもいい。
    Omae nante dō de mo ii.
    Whatever.

Synonyms

Usage notes

Etymology 2

Sources describe this as a sound shift from the phrase 何と言う (nan to iu, compare English constructions whatever kind of; what a ..., literally “what's it called; what a ...”).[2][1][3][4] There is evidence of a form nantē,[2] suggesting a fusion of vowel sounds, where the phonetic development may have proceeded as follows:

/nan to iu/ → /nantɔiu/ → /nantee/ → /nante/

Pronunciation

Alternative forms

  • 何て

Adverb

なんて (rōmaji nante)

  1. what a, such a
    なんて美 (うつく)しい美 (び)女 (じょ)だな。
    Nante utsukushii bijo da na.
    What a beautiful woman.
    なんてことない
    nante koto nai
    a walk in the park; nothing
  2. what (used quotatively)
    ね、昨 (き)日 (のう)お前 (まえ)なんて言 (い)ってたんだっけ。
    Ne, kinō omae nante itte ta n da kke.
    Hey, what was it you were saying yesterday?
    これなんて読 (よ)む？
    Kore nante yomu?
    How do you say this?
    これって何 (なん)て名前 (なまえ)？
    Kore tte nante namae?
    What is this called?

References

  1. 1 2 3 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. 1 2 3 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
  3. 1 2 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  4. 1 2 3 4 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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