# wants to have read



## Dimitri Lee

Hello 皆さん,

  日本語で"wants to have done"がどう言いますか? "やったことがほしがる"と言うのはいいですか?

よろしくお願いします


Dimitri


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## I_like_my_TV

> "やったことがほしがる"


I think I'd say　"やったらよかったのに"


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## cheshire

No, ILMTV, yours is a subjunctive.

*やってほしいことがある*


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## I_like_my_TV

cheshire said:
			
		

> No, ILMTV, yours is a subjunctive.
> やってほしいことがある



I believe by "wants to have done" Dimitri Lee means to say something like "I wish I have done something (some sense of regret is implied)" (やったらよいのになあ/やったら、よかったなあ), whereas your "やってほしいことがある" means "I (sometimes) want someone else to do something". Am I correct? Dimitri Lee please clarify what you really want to say?


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## _forumuser_

I_like_my_TV said:


> I believe by "wants to have done" Dimitri Lee means to say something like "I wish I ha*d* done something (some sense of regret is implied)" (やったらよいのになあ/やったら、よかったなあ), whereas your "やってほしいことがある" means "I (sometimes) want someone else to do something". Am I correct? Dimitri Lee please clarify what you really want to say?



I think you're right, based on his tentative translation, but we can't be sure unless he tells us more. If your reading is accurate, then I would also suggest:

I wish I told (her, him, them, etc.)...
言えばよかった...


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## Dimitri Lee

Thanks a lot, guys.
I should have given more context, sorry. In the context, I think cheshire's is more suitable. Actually, I am trying to translate a quotation from Mark Twain.

"A classic is something everybody wants to have read, but no one wants to read."


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## Flaminius

Yes, yes Dimitri.  Context is to questions at WR forums what water is to fish.

With Twain's quote, I'd translate it:
読んでおきたい.


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## cheshire

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/eigomeigen/c/a2f6ca90e8aebcd1ce138c91fa5cf76f



> 古典とは、誰もが*読んでおきたかったと思い*、誰もが読みたいとは思わないものである。


名言blog より引用しました。


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## Dimitri Lee

That's exactly what I want! Thanks again, 皆さん.


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## Flaminius

Looking at them, I raise objections to my own attempt and the portion of the quoted translation.


> 1. 読んでおきたい
> 2. 読んでおきたかった


1. This means "to read in preparation of something."  Doing something as a preparation does not indicate that the action of reading is loathed by many.
2. おきたかった means that the chance to do so is irrecoverably lost.  In contrast, "wants to have read" implies that there is always the chance to read classics.

Here is my translation of the whole quote:
誰もが読んだことにしたいと思いながら、読みたいとは思わないもの、それが古典である。

皆さんのお考えは如何でしょう。


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