上は|うえは
- 1Now that X is the case (or has been decided), I will naturally carry it through; states the speaker's resolve.Ex. 1
- 2Since X is the case, one should or must do Y; states an obligation or recommendation.Ex. 2
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A somewhat stiff pattern that suits formal speech and writing, such as statements of resolve, commitments and advice. The second clause typically expresses will, obligation or a judgment, often with べきだ, なければならない or つもりだ. It is close in meaning to からには and 以上は but sounds more formal than either.
Do not follow 上は with a neutral statement of fact; the second clause should express resolve, duty, advice or a strong judgment.
Learners sometimes confuse 上は with 上で (after doing) or 上に (in addition to), which have unrelated meanings.
- からにはN2「からには」has essentially the same meaning as「上は」, and most sentences allow the two to be swapped. It is neutral in register, common in both speech and writing and not as stiff or formal as「上は」, and it can also attach to the plain form of い-adjectives.
- 以上はN2「以上は」means almost the same as「上は」, and the two are interchangeable in most cases. It is neutral in register and less stiff than「上は」; it attaches to the plain form of verbs, with な-adjectives it can take「な」in addition to「である」, and it can be shortened to「以上」.
- べきだN2「べきだ」expresses the judgment that something 'ought to' or 'should' be done, is neutral in register, and can take the form「べきだった」to express regret; 「上は」, by contrast, is a 'since/given that' connective linking the preceding and following clauses, and its second clause often takes「べきだ」. The two serve different functions and cannot be interchanged.
- 〜ないわけにはいかないN1「上は」is used in the first clause to set up the premise 'since...,' while「ないわけにはいかない」attaches to the ない-form of a verb and stands at the end of the sentence, indicating that one cannot avoid doing something out of moral duty or because of circumstances, with a neutral register. The two cannot be interchanged, but the latter can serve as the second clause of「上は」.
- からこそN2「からこそ」emphasizes 'precisely because... that's why...,' is neutral in register, and allows its second clause to state a fact; 「上は」means 'since... then...,' has a written-language flavor, and requires its second clause to express obligation, resolve, or the like. When the second clause expresses an obligation, the two can sometimes be interchanged —「からこそ」stresses the reason, while「上は」stresses the stance.
からには and 以上は are near-synonyms meaning "now that / since", with からには more conversational and 上は the most formal, whereas からこそ stresses that something is precisely the reason and does not express resolve. べきだ and 〜ないわけにはいかない are not linking patterns but sentence-final expressions of obligation that often appear in the clause after 上は.
