# 言い草



## kuuzoku

Hello, please forgive the romaji use (can't type on system)

I was reading a line from a game and couldn't make sense of it. 
The context: basically two people arguing. 

The previous line : chikara ga yuiitsu no seigi na no dakara na (My power is solely for justice)

different speaker and confused line: sore wa omae no katte na iu kusa da! 

My literal translation: That TOPIC you NOUN LINK one's way / convenience COPULA say grass DECLARATIVE.

From that, something like "Your way of saying it like that is GRASS? (The kanji used is the same Joyo Kanji Grade 1 for grass/weed).

I get a feeling this is more like saying "BS" or "garbage" rather than literally GRASS. Thoughts?

(Also, feel free to correct my literal translation if I made a mistake)
Thank you in advance.


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## Aoyama

> sore wa omae no katte na iu kusa da!


I think that "kusa" doesn't make sense here, it's "kuse" (bad habit).
"Sore wa omae no katte na iu kuse da ! " You've got a bad habit of saying this [kind of thing]", "you keep saying this with no reason" ...


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## kuuzoku

Hi, I just double checked (the game has written dialogue and voice), the kanji definitely is the one for grass. After listening again and again , I don't hear anything other than "kusa da" either. (He says it emphatically and not that fast)

But that's the thing, "kuse" would make PERFECT sense that's why I'm so confused.

(PS, I'm not saying you're wrong, as Japanese is assuredly more progressed than mine) 

It is very strange....


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## Wishfull

Hi.
It's easy. 
*iikusa* is one word.
言い草 (noun)(iikusa or iigusa)

iikusa
=what one would say
=one's word
=the way how one express the object.
(We use it when we call down others. We don't use it when we praise others.)

omaeno iikusa = your (own) way how you express the matter.


So the translation would be something like;
_*That is only your word which is consisted with your selfish interpretation.
That is your selfish interpretation.*_
*That is merely your selfish interpretation.*


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## kuuzoku

Agh, that's what I get for skimming "ii" into "iu." 

Thank you once again Wishfull. Also, thank you aoyama.


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## Aoyama

Right, but then it's *iigusa *written usually 言い種　or 言い草, but the first version is more common (says the dictionary). It means "someone's words", "things that someone is likely to say/has a habit of saying", which, in fact, is not far from what I said at the beginning (based however on a wrong assumption).
Because 言い草/種 means 口癖 (kuchiguse, guse is kuse), "one's favorite saying, phrase, words [about a given thing]".


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## Flaminius

kuuzoku said:


> The previous line : chikara ga yuiitsu no seigi na no dakara na (My power is solely for justice)


It is, "For power alone is justice" (Might is right).


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## Taro Ultra

Hello, 

I think the pronouciation of 言い草 is 'iigusa' regularly. Rarely seen 'iukusa' or 'iikusa'.

For me, the sentence '力が唯一の正義なのだからな' sounds ...

"Power is only one of justice."
"If you have power, you are always right."

Doudesyou


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## kuuzoku

The two previous lines were: (same speaker) 
-watashi wa, mizukara no chikara de yomigaeru no de wa nai. yokubuka na ningen-domo ni yotte yomigaeru no da. 

I thought he was still talking about his power. -_-

Also, my translation skills as you see, need work. -_-


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## Dheara

according to http://jisho.org/words?jap=iigusa&eng=&dict=edict,
there are some difference in meaning between 言い草 and 言い種:
言い種(いいぐさ)	one's words or remarks; an excuse
言い草(いいぐさ)	remarks; comments

言種	one's words or remarks; an excuse
言草	remarks; comments



> -watashi wa, mizukara no chikara de yomigaeru no de wa nai. yokubuka na ningen-domo ni yotte yomigaeru no da.



I would translate it like this:
(Lit: ) "I do not recover my powers from the waters. I recover my powers by (means of)/due to　greedy people"


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## Wishfull

Dheara said:


> according to http://jisho.org/words?jap=iigusa&eng=&dict=edict,
> there are some difference in meaning between 言い草 and 言い種:
> 言い種(いいぐさ)	one's words or remarks; an excuse
> 言い草(いいぐさ)	remarks; comments
> 
> 言種	one's words or remarks; an excuse
> 言草	remarks; comments
> 
> 
> 
> I would translate it like this:
> (Lit: ) "I do not recover my powers from the waters. I recover my powers by (means of)/due to　greedy people"



Hi.
みずから≠水から
みずから＝自ら

Mizukara is not "from water" but "in one's own power".
//////////////
About iigusa's definitions on the web dictionary;
I think ordinary Japanese people cannot distinguish these four (or two?) definetions. 
The dictionary's definitions might be correct or might not, I don't know, but at least, it is not widely known.


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## Dheara

Lol!
 it was not written in kanji..., so I thought it　was 水から。。。

thank you, Wishfull!


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## Aoyama

> みずから≠水から
> *みずから＝自ら
> *
> Mizukara is not "from water" but "in one's own power".


Right, or also : "from oneself".
自らas in 自分から.


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