はともかく
- 1Concedes or sets aside a debatable point X in order to state a judgment about Y.Ex. 1
- 2Postpones consideration of X so that attention goes to Y, which comes first.Ex. 2
Verb (plain form)The plain (non-ます) forms of a verb: affirmative or negative, non-past or past.
行く・行かない・行った・行かなかった
The dictionary form is only one of these: 行く.
Verb (plain form)The plain (non-ます) forms of a verb: affirmative or negative, non-past or past.
行く・行かない・行った・行かなかった
The dictionary form is only one of these: 行く.
i-adj. (plain form)The plain (non-です) forms of an i-adjective: affirmative or negative, non-past or past.
高い・高くない・高かった・高くなかった
The dictionary form is only one of these: 高い. The polite version adds です to the plain form.
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Used in both conversation and writing to set aside one issue and turn to the main point. The second clause usually carries the speaker's real evaluation, suggestion, or decision. It is close to はさておき and は別として, but はさておき sounds more literary, and は別として treats X as an exception rather than as something debatable.
Do not use はともかく to mean 'not only X but also Y'. For that additive, positive sense, use もさることながら.
Note that the clause after はともかく carries the main point, so it should not simply repeat or restate X.
Learners should add の before はともかく with verb or adjective phrases, and か or かどうか with questions.
- 1.はさておきN1はさておき is basically interchangeable with はともかく in the 'set A aside, then move on to B' sense, but its tone is slightly more formal and literary. It merely sets A aside without evaluating it, and it often marks topic shifts such as 「冗談はさておき」.
- 2.は別としてN3は別として is close in meaning and interchangeable in most situations, with basically the same attachment rules. However, it stresses taking the first item out and dealing with it separately, often meaning 'the first item is an exception, and the rest is as stated in the second item,' whereas はともかく often implies some reservation about the first item.
- 3.もさることながらN1もさることながら affirms the first item A and simply emphasizes B all the more — A is never set aside; it attaches only to nouns and is on the formal, written side. はともかく, by contrast, leaves A aside for now, often with some reservation, and allows broader attachment, so the two generally cannot be interchanged.
- 4.ならいざしらずN1ならいざしらず treats the first item as an excusable exception and stresses the contrast with the second item's actual situation, which is often negative, a criticism, or 'impossible.' It is a written-style expression, and 「の」 must be added when it attaches to verbs or adjectives.
- 5.ほどN3ほど expresses the degree a state reaches ('to the extent of...') or, when attached to quantity words, 'about/approximately'; the first item is not set aside. はともかく sets A aside for now and turns to B instead, so the two differ in meaning and cannot be interchanged.
はさておき also sets a matter aside but is more literary and often shifts topic, and は別として excludes X as an exception. もさることながら affirms X and stresses Y even more, ならいざしらず contrasts an acceptable hypothetical case with the actual one, and ほど expresses degree or comparison, not setting aside.
