母親は、大学に入っていない娘のことをさびしく思った。

Sentence Discussions Japanese
#1
English Translation

The mother missed her daughter who was away at college.

Doesn’t this mean the daughter wasn’t in college?

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#2

Yes, I think so!
“The mother missed her daughter who was not in college.”

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#3

@DawnCloud9358
Good catch! The author of the original Japanese translation completely misunderstood the meaning of “be away at college”…

Here are my alternative translations:

  • 母親は、大学に入っていない娘のことをさびしく思った。= The mother was disappointed at (or even ashamed of) her daughter who did not go on to college.
  • The mother missed her daughter who was away at college. = 母親は、大学進学で親元を離れた娘に会いたくてたまらなかった。
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