やらん
Japanese edit
Pronunciation edit
Etymology 1 edit
Contraction of Old Japanese phrase にやあらむ, consisting of に (ni, the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “continuative form”) of concluding auxiliary verb なり nari) + や (ya, coordinating particle, expressing a question or doubt) + あら (the 未然形 (mizenkei, “imperfective form”) of verb ある aru “to be”) + む (mu, auxiliary verb, expressing a guess or hope regarding an outcome or result).[1][2] Literal meaning is roughly “isn't it so?”
/ni ya aramu/ → /yaramu/ → /yaran/
The yaramu form is already seen in the Man'yōshū, dated to around 760.
Phrase edit
- (archaic, dialect) “isn't it?”
- (archaic, dialect) expresses uncertainty or indefiniteness
- When used mid-sentence following a noun. Generally preceded by adverbial particle と (to).
Etymology 2 edit
Contraction of verb form やらない (yaranai, “not do”), from verb やる (yaru, “to do”).
/yaranai/ → /yaran/