Japanese by Example
Learning through examples in manga

It might be one thing if with 〜ならともかく

Grammar: Condition & Proportionality

ならともかく expresses a contract between two situations, often implying that one situation might be acceptable or understandable, while another is not. If highlights a comparison where the first clause is considered tolerable, while the second clause one is unacceptable.

A basic translation to English is, “(A) is fine, but (B) is not.”

Usage

The tone often carries a sense of judgment or emphasis on the unacceptability of the second situation. It is commonly used to express hypothetical or conditional contrasts, often with a critical undertone.

Formation

ならともかく is formed by attaching it to the plain form of verbs, adjectives, or nouns. Here are the main patterns:
  1. Noun + ならともかく
    • 学生(がくせい)ならともかく社会人(しゃかいじん)はそんな時間(じかん)がない
    • "A student might be one thing, but a working adult doesn't have that kind of time."
  2. Verb (plain form) + ならともかく
    • 勉強(べんきょう)するならともかく(あそ)ぶのは(ゆる)されない。
    • "Studying might be one thing, but playing is not allowed."
  3. い-adjective (plain form) + ならともかく
    • (やす)ならともかく(たか)いものは()えない。
    • "If it's cheap, that's one thing, but I can't buy expensive things."
  4. な-adjective (stem) + ならともかく
In each case, the phrase introduces the “maybe acceptable” situation, followed by a contrasting statement.

Further Reading

Examples

Indiscriminate murder would be one thing if with 〜ならともかく

名探偵コナン » Volume 5 » Page 110

Sonoko is invited to a band’s after party. During the get-together, the band’s singer Tatsuya eats a rice ball only to collapse and die. The police are called in, and Inspector Megure discovers the victim was poisoned. He accuses the man who prepared the food, but Conan bites into a rice ball to show it’s safe. The victim’s manager, Mari, agrees.

麻理(まり):
無差別(むさべつ)殺人(さつじん)ならともかく、たまたま達也(たつや)()べたオニギリだけに、あらかじめ(どく)仕込(しこ)むのは不可能(ふかのう)じゃありません?」
“If it were indiscriminate murder, that's one thing but since it was just the rice ball Tatsuya happened to eat, wouldn't it be impossible to poison it beforehand?”
目暮(めぐれ):
「た、(たし)かにそうだが…」
“Th-that's true.”

The grammar ならともかく conveys that poisoning one rice ball is reasonable in the case of indiscriminate murder, but it’s an unreasonable method for a targeted murder.