# どこにもない地図



## kuuzoku

Hello, I came across this sentence (adventuring game):

世界中のどこにもない、地図をつくれ。 

I thought どこにもない meant nowhere.. As in, どこにもない道 (road to/of nowhere)

But for this sentence wouldn't it make more sense translated as "anywhere"?

"Anywhere throughout the world, create a map"????

So can it be translated as so?

よろしくおねがいします.


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## Flaminius

Hello, *Pirate-of-the-sky*.

Maybe the comma confuses you.  どこにもない is in the relative clause that modifies 地図.


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## kuuzoku

Hello Flaminius,

To follow up on what you said, "doko ni mo nai" does mean "nowhere" but it it modifies the noun "chizu" right? So it would be translated something like:

"Where there isn't a map in the world, make one"???

Thank you.


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## Wishfull

Hi. Kuuzoku, nice to see you again.

どこにもない地図
＝your original map
=nowhere in the world, (*except yours.*)
=あなたの地図のほかには、同じ地図は世界中のどこにもない、そのようなあなたの独自の地図

Please make your own/original map, which is nowhere in the world but yours.
=Please create your original map. The same map is not exist throughout the world but only your one.
=Please make the map which is your only one.

Hope this helps.

Or
Do not imitate but make your own map.

Or
Create something new (=map) which has not been exist in the world until now.
現時点では世界中のどこにもない、まったく新しい地図を、（これから新たに）作りなさい。

どこにもない～　means "original" and one of Japanese familiar expressions.


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## kuuzoku

Hello Wishfull, good talking to you.

I think I get it now. "doko ni mo nai" is referring to a "non-existancy" relating to the world and thus the map. Like uncharted territories, right? 

Thank you for the elaboration.


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## Wishfull

kuuzoku said:


> Like uncharted territories, right?



Such as the new continent's map  by Columbus?
Bingo!
I think your interpretation would be better in this context.

I imagined something different.
For example, it is my city's map. But in my own map, my secret places are marked. For example, a grocery store which madam is very beautiful and amorous, a restaurant where I can get my most favorite dishes, a dangerous dentist, a bilk joint, and so on.


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## lrosa

kuuzoku said:


> 世界中のどこにもない、地図をつくれ。



どこにもない　means "(It) doesn't exist anywhere." When it is a relative clause (which always comes before the noun in Japanese), it means "(a) [noun] the likes of which does not exist anywhere". I may be wrong, but is it possible that in this context, the above sentence can be interpreted as "This (place) does not exist anywhere in the world. Build a map." 

It is hard for me to imagine the context but maybe, since it is an adventure game, it is referring to a newly discovered place which has not been recorded on any previous maps, and it is therefore asking you to make a new map?

Is the comma definitely in the original?


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## kuuzoku

Yes, it definitely was there. (comma). That is probably what threw me. 

According to Flaminus, chizu is being modified by doko ni mo nai clause. Wishfull helped apply it to modern times and further elaborated. So after this, I roughly translated it as "For where there isn't a map in the world, go make one" (implies exploring) (thus being an original map).


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## Wishfull

lrosa said:


> どこにもない　means "(It) doesn't exist anywhere." When it is a relative clause (which always comes before the noun in Japanese), it means "(a) [noun] the likes of which does not exist anywhere". I may be wrong, but is it possible that in this context, the above sentence can be interpreted as "This (place) does not exist anywhere in the world. Build a map."
> 
> It is hard for me to imagine the context but maybe, since it is an adventure game, it is referring to a newly discovered place which has not been recorded on any previous maps, and it is therefore asking you to make a new map?
> 
> Is the comma definitely in the original?



Hi.
Nice idea! It's interesting.
I love it.
I'm very pleased to hear your new interpretation.

It may be possible, considering its context as a video-game, and the comma.

///////////
But, after considering one more time, I would go with the previous interpretation.
Because, if the correct story were yours, the comma should be "a dot/period or マル or "。"　in that position.
Then, why is the comma at that position? I think myself that the comma has the emphasis effect of どこにもない.

”世界中のどこにもない”地図を作れ。
＝”世界中のどこにもない！”地図を作れ。
＝世界中のどこにもない、地図を作れ。

In any case, the comma might not be proper in a point of view of orthodox grammar. (or might be proper...)
But it is a matter of course because the video-game maker would  have never taken much care about "grammar". 
It is not a grammar textbook, but a game for fun.
I think it will be useless to think it any further.

I would like to know the true adventure game story of this context.


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## lrosa

I was thrown by the comma, too. But as you say, obviously this sentence does not show a precise attention to grammatical detail, since in either interpretation, the comma is not appropriate (if it's a relative clause, there should be no comma. If it's what I suggested, it should just be two separate sentences)


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## kuuzoku

I just googled this phrase and I saw it with and without the comma (though the general consensus grammatically is for no comma) So, I guess its best not to disect this any further. Thank you all once again.


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