In search of TOTOMONI

In the JLPT Level 2 book, the second grammar point is totomini, which pleased me to no end because it's used in a mecha famous song by The Boom. It's not a pneumonic device at all, but it's great for remembering what the grammar form means.

Also, good news! The song is famous enough to be translated, so I've included it here:

The grammar in question is here:

Lyrics:

島唄よ　風に乗り

鳥とともに　海を渡れ

Romanji Reading:

Shima'uta yo Kaze ni nori

Tori totomo ni Umi wo watare

My translation:

Island song, ride the wind with the birds and cross the sea.

So, the JLPT II book goes to great pains to explain that there are three versions of totomoni, but the real truth is that they can all really be translated as "with".

Totomoni is usually used as a more formal version of Isshoni (一緒に）which generally translated as with.

Since the song uses formal language the whole time, a stylistic choice which is supposed to add to the texture and meaning of it, it makes a lot of sense that totomoni is used here. That, and it fits the rhythm better than isshoni.

The JLPT gives three definitions for totomoni,

A: With, as in together with.

B: Concurrently with something else.

C: As one thing changes, another thing changes as well.

While these seem pretty disparate in meaning, you really can just translate it consistently as "with" without having to worry about much else. Look at the sentence from Shima Uta. You know only one of the above definitions work, and that is A. This is because B requires a verb structure of some sort (a noun or a na adjective even need a である) so you know it's not that one. And, C, well that would just make no sense!

So, A it is. Though it really doesn't matter, since you can use with for A, B, and C.

A. I want to spend New Year's with my family.

B. Koboyashi puts all in his energy into guiding his students, along with his research.

C. With growing older, you're body fails you.

Okay, now that I think about it, it only really translates into "with" in my head... So, stream of consciousness her we go!

A. With

B. As well as

C. While/as

There, that should do it, though I do think all of them have a certain feel to them. You decide.

Before I live though, enjoy this six minute version of the song! It's totally better, even with the cheesy slideshow.

I also sometimes talk about The Boom on my blog dedicated to MONGOL800 here.