# っていうか, ですよね



## adexx

I'm watching a drama and often hear "っていうか", "ですよね" as a sentence opening. I guess it is connected to what is said right before that, but what does it mean?
I don't remember well what the characters said so sorry I cannot give any context right now.


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## almostfreebird

"ですよね～" is like a nodding in agreement, being used as a sentence opening.

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"っていうか" is come from "というよりも".

"というよりも" means "rather": "彼女は歌手というよりも女優だ。"(She is rather an actress than a singer.)

Besides that, "っていうか" is used as a sentence opening when you say what you have to say (rather informal and colloquial)
"っていうか, 彼女は歌手というよりも女優だ。"(this example is redundant.)


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## adexx

So ですよね～ has the same meaning as そうですね right? 
Is だよね also used? Or ですよね is like a fixed phrase?

From your explanation, I take it that っていうか is used when we want to give our opinion on something previously mentioned?


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## almostfreebird

<<Is だよね also used? Or ですよね is like a fixed phrase?>>

Both are kind of fixed phrase, "だよね" being casual and "ですよね"polite.

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<<So ですよね～ has the same meaning as そうですね right?>>

"そうですね" is more like a filler just like "Well," or "let me see",
and it can also mean just "yes" like ”はい、そうです。” depending on context.

"ですよね～" is an abbreviated version of "そうですよね～"

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<<From your explanation, I take it that っていうか is used when we want to give our opinion on something previously mentioned?>>

Yes, that's right.


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## lammn

ていうか has the same meaning as てゆーか, even though the latter is even more informal way of speaking.

A long time ago I have asked the meaning of てゆーか/ていうか in this forum. You may check out this thread to find out the various meanings of てゆーか/ていうか. (PS. I recommend you to read post #3 of that thread. )


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## wathavy

Lammn's link already clearly mentioned, though.

>っていうか,ですよね
This sentence will not exist in English.
A っていうか Bですよね
If it were translated straightforward,
It is not A, but is B.
And if this is directly translated, 
Aではなく、Bです。

After one says this to other (especially elder) won't get nice reaction.
When ever I hear "っていうか,ですよね", I would react to the person who said it, "Say it directly not that manipulative way!" with joking manner.
This won't be accepted in formal discussion, I bet. Because the person who speaks this formally does not deny 'A', I guess.


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## almostfreebird

Because "てゆーか" or "ていうか" rolls off the tongue much smoothly than "というか" or "というよりも", people(especially young one) tend to say that way,

example:

Tom: Is she a singer?(あの人　歌手？)

(A) Robert: *Well, in my opinion*, she is *rather* an actress than a singer.(*てゆーか*、歌手*というよりも*女優だね。)(*てゆーか*、歌手*というよりもむしろ*女優だね。)

(B) *Well*, I think she is *rather* an actress than a singer.
(*そうですね～*、私が思うに彼女は歌手*というよりもむしろ*女優ですね。)

(C)歌手*ってゆ～か*女優だね。(She is *rather* an actress than a singer.)

(A) is casual way of speaking.
(B) is kind of formal.
(C) is very much casual.


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## Wishfull

Hi.
I think original asker might ask about these sentences.

「てゆーかぁ、私はどの政党が政権をとっても変わらないと思うのよね～。」
or
「ですよねぇ、私もそんな無理な公約は果たせるはずないって、気づいてましたもん。」

It shows agreement or disagreement to the previous speaker's comment.

てゆうか＝I know your point, but I would rather say~~
ですよね＝Yes, I agree with you. May I add something?


「てゆーかぁ、私はどの政党が政権をとっても変わらないと思うのよね～。」
=「今あなたのおっしゃった事も一理あると思いますが、それよりも、私はどの政党が政権をとっても変わらないと思います。」

「ですよねぇ、私もそんな無理な公約は果たせるはずないって、気づいてましたもん。」
＝「そうですよね。私もそんな無理な公約は果たせるはずないって、気づいてましたもん。」
＝「私もそう思います。そんな無理な公約は果たせるはずないって、気づいてましたもん。」


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## adexx

Thank you all,
As I heard in the drama, っていうか was used in many different ways, not just in the sense of "rather A than B". Both guys and girls used it a lot, as a sentence opening (not in the middle of a sentence). 
I think I "kind of" got the meaning of it by now, but I need opinions from native speakers: how would you feel if you hear it from a gaijin? 
As some of the threads above suggested, it may be dangerous for a gaijin to use, but since native people use it that much, is it really that odd for a non native speaker to use (and no, I'm not that good a speaker, but I always try to speak as natural as possible)?


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## almostfreebird

I don't think in the least it's dangerous to say "てゆ～か".



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If you yelled words like てめえ！、くそ！、 畜生！ and all like that,
you might fall into a dangerous situation.


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## wathavy

It's always good to know all about the language you would like to learn.
But I personally prefer this way of saying is not accepted widely and casually.
Because I don't feel quite fine whenever I hear this way of expression.
I like things expressed more precisely than absurdly.(or blurred)

This is my personal feeling, probably due mainly to the fact that I wasn't exposed to this type of culture even though I am a Japanese.

In Hokkaido, people won't accept this type of sentence when they are discussing things. They speak more like English kind of logical way. Perhaps, they deny this type of sentence, I might say.

Back in my hometown, in Nagano, people tends not to use this type either.
Some criticize people who don't accept this type of blurred sentence as stubborn, perhaps.
But I would be that stubborn.

So, I say it's good to refrain from using it.
(As a personal opinion.)


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