Grammar › N1 · 13 Limits and inclusion

〜ならいざ知らず: it might be (OK) if...

N1 · 13 Limits and inclusion

Says A may be understandable, but B, the present case, is not.

Noun/plain form + ならいざ知らず + B (a criticism or surprise). A is a contrasting case. Spoken and written. Strong tone. Compare 〜ならまだしも, which is similar and slightly more common.

Examples

子供こどもならいざ知いざしらず、大人おとながそんなことをするなんて信しんじられない。

That might be fine for a child, but I cannot believe an adult would do that.

昔むかしならいざ知いざしらず、今いまは誰だれもそんなことを信しんじない。

It might have been so in the old days, but nobody believes that now.

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