# 優先する



## Myuu

Hello everyone,

I'm confused over how to use this word. I've seen it used with the particles を、が、and に and I don't understand how they differ. 

The meaning I'm aiming for is roughly: "I hold my job above all else." 
1. 仕事を優先する
2. 仕事が優先する
3. 仕事に優先する
4. 仕事を優先させる

For this meaning to hold I would expect (2) to be 仕事が優先される, but why is する also acceptable? 

As for (3), I've seen に used a lot with すべて, as in 安全はすべてに優先する. I'm guessing に marks the thing you hold as less important?

Does (4) mean "let/make me prioritize my job"? Unfortunately I can't give any examples but the time I saw させる used, it didn't seem to have this meaning and する seemed like an equally good substitute to me so I just want to make sure.


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## Aoyama

I'd say that basically 3 and 4 are correct.
1 and 2 are understandable, but are they really correct ?
3 = give precedence/priority to my job
4 = do it as if (my) job had priority
1 and 2 have basically the same meaning as 3.


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## Flaminius

All the sentences are correct and but do not mean the same.  The verb 優先する is both transitive and intransitive.

2. 仕事が優先する is the intransitive use and 4. 仕事を優先させる is its causative derivation.   1. 仕事を優先する uses the transitive verb.

3. 仕事に優先する contains the intransitive but the subject, or the thing that is chosen over "my job," is not mentioned.


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## Aoyama

But then, does the contruction (structure) affect the meaning, giving it a slight nuance ?


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## Flaminius

Sure.  The intransitive construction is impersonal; giving higher priority to work may not be the person's choice but the culture of the place they work (or by any other way something forced upon him).  The transitive and the causative derivation of the intransitive are more volitional.  The speaker wilfully chose to defer to work.  The latter is perhaps semantic reinforcement of the former.  That is, the former construction may have diminished the volitional sense as time goes by.


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## Aoyama

Thank you. I'll ponder on that .

So, I thought it over and came up with a few comments :

1. 仕事を優先する [FONT=MS ゴシック]仕事＝直接目的語 = priority is (given) to work[/FONT]
2. 仕事が優先する 仕事＝主語 = Work has priority
3. 仕事に優先する 仕事＝間接目的語 = give priority to work (this is wrong, see posts below)
4. 仕事を優先させる 仕事＝直接目的語+　させる＝何らかの主語 = priority is given to work* by so.*
But I join here Myuu in asking "what is the role of suru" in example 2 ?
Couldn't it be 仕事が優先wo motsu ?


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## Flaminius

> 1. 仕事を優先する 仕事＝直接目的語 = priority is (given) to work


Or more faithfully to the original, let's use the active voice:
[I = the speaker] give priority to work.



> 3. 仕事に優先する 仕事＝間接目的語 = give priority to work


Something has a higher priority than work.  The function of _ni_ is more akin to _to_ of the English "prefer something to another" than the selfsame _to_ that marks an indirect object.



> 4. 仕事を優先させる 仕事＝直接目的語+　させる＝何らかの主語 = priority is given to work *by so*.


Like I wrote in #3 _supra_, 優先させる is the causative of the intransitive 優先する. A more literal translation deriving from your 2 is:
Someone makes work have priority.

To review the derivation of a causative sentence with an intransitive verb, please consider the following:
[intransitive] 妹が泣く。
[intr. causative] 妹*を*泣かせる。

Please keep in mind that "have priority" for the intransitive 優先する is not a literal translation.


> But I join here Myuu in asking "what is the role of suru" in example 2 ?
> Couldn't it be 仕事が優先wo motsu ?


I don't think it is natural to treat 優先 like a fully-fledged noun by affixing the accusative marker _-o_.  I know it was the inevitable choice when you chose _motsu_ but it does not collocate very well with 優先.

You and *Myuu* ask "what is the role of suru."  It is there because a sentence needs a verb to be a complete sentence.  Without it, it would be impossible to assign the nominative marker _-ga_ to 仕事.   I don't feel I am hitting the true nail on its head but this is all that I can give so far.


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## Aoyama

> You and *Myuu* ask "what is the role of suru." It is there because a sentence needs a verb to be a complete sentence. Without it, it would be impossible to assign the nominative marker _-ga_ to 仕事. I don't feel I am hitting the true nail on its head but this is all that I can give so far.


... right.


> 3. 仕事に優先する 仕事＝間接目的語 = give priority to work Something has a higher priority than work. The function of _ni_ is more akin to _to_ of the English "prefer something to another" than the selfsame _to_ that marks an indirect object


this one _I had missed_ , it is in fact "to give priority _to something over work_" (work comes second).

Then, could it be : kazoku wo 仕事に優先する ?

Rav arigatot.


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## Flaminius

Yes, 家族を仕事に優先する is fine.


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## Myuu

Thank you so much Flaminius for explaining!
And thank you Aoyama for going further with it.


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