550 - いかんにかかわらず

JLPT N1: いかんにかかわらず (regardless of; doesn't matter whether)

We just saw にかかわらず in this N2 lesson: [NDL #549] - JLPT N2: にかかわらず.

いかんにかかわらず is very similar, as it will typically be translated as "regardless of" or "doesn't matter (whether)."

However, いかんにかかわらず is only used in formal, written language.

In other words, you will very rarely come across it being used.

Here's an example:

面接の合否いかんにかかわらず、メールで結果をお知らせします。
めんせつ の ごうひ いかんにかかわらず、 メール で けっか を おしらせします。
Regardless of our decision, we will inform you of the results of the interview by email.
Literally: “(job) interview + の + success or failure + いかんにかかわらず (=regardless of), + e-mail + で + results / outcome + を + notice + do.”

In a slightly more literal translation, we could have said:

Regardless of the outcome of your interview, we will inform you of our decision by email.

You think that's a better translation? I can't decide, really. Initially I thought that saying "outcome of your interview" sounded a bit strange... but maybe it works.

Anyway, first we have the noun phrase 面接の合否 (めんせつのごうひ), meaning "the result of the interview." Somewhat literally, it means "the success or failure of the (job) interview."

Since we follow that noun phrase with いかんにかかわらず, the sentence means "It doesn't matter what the result of the interview is, [...]" or "Regardless of the result of the interview, [...]"

That "[...]" will be something that occurs regardless of whatever was mentioned before いかんにかかわらず:

THING にかかわらず, RESULT.
Regardless of THING, RESULT (will occur).


Here's one more example:


多数決の結果いかんにかかわらず、社長の意見が採用されるだろう。
たすうけつ の けっか いかんにかかわらず、 しゃちょう の いけん が さいよう される だろう。
It doesn’t matter what the majority of people think; they [the company] will go with whatever the (company) president decides.
Literally: “majority rule [decision] + の + result + いかんにかかわらず (=regardless of), + company president + の + opinion + が + adoption / acceptance + be done + it seems / I think (=だろう).”


Maybe the grammar isn't too complicated? If you're having trouble with these sentences, my guess would be that the vocabulary is proving to be a bit difficult.


👷 Construction 👷

Did you pick up on the pattern yet? It's...


NOUNいかんにかかわらず

However, in some cases we can also say:

NOUNいかんにかかわらず

Here's an example of that pattern in action:

時間帯いかんにかかわらず、この車両は女性専用車両です。
じかんたい の いかんにかかわらず、 この しゃりょう は じょせい せんよう しゃりょう です。
This is a female-only (train) car, regardless of the time (of day).
Literally: “time period / time slot + の + いかんにかかわらず (=regardless of), + this + train car + は + woman-only car (=female + exclusive use + train car) + です.”

It seemed really strange to me that の could come before いかんにかかわらず.

I think the main reason for this is that I had no idea what いかん meant!

After a bit of research, I found that this いかん is actually 如何 (いかん), a noun meaning:

事の成り行き。その状態。次第。
こと の なりゆき。 その じょうたい。 しだい。
The outcome/development of something. The circumstances/state/conditions of that outcome/development. Circumstances.

This is a Japanese dictionary entry, by the way. They have a somewhat particular method of defining words in Japanese, and it can be a bit confusing at times. But I would highly recommend getting used to reading these entries, since it becomes an invaluable skill once your Japanese gets to be intermediate/advanced. The nuance of so many words is lost when using Japanese-English dictionaries.

Since いかん is a noun, it makes sense that we can say it after the particle の. If anything, it's more strange (though not that strange) that we drop this particle and connect it to nouns like we did in this example:

面接の合否いかんにかかわらず、メールで結果をお知らせします。
めんせつ の ごうひ いかんにかかわらず、 メール で けっか を おしらせします。
Regardless of our decision, we will inform you of the results of the interview by email.
Literally: “(job) interview + の + success or failure + いかんにかかわらず (=regardless of), + e-mail + で + results / outcome + を + notice + do.”


Just one more sentence and you'll be done. Hang in there.


理由いかんにかかわらず、生徒間の金銭のやり取りは禁止です。
りゆう のいかんにかかわらず、 せいと かん の きんせん の やりとり は きんし です。
Regardless of the reason, the exchange of money between students is prohibited.
Literally: “reason + の + いかんにかかわらず (=regardless of), + between students (=student + -between) + の + money / cash + の + giving and taking / exchange + は + prohibited / not allowed + です.”


Finished!

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