Song translation

[delacroix01]

Audio : Itou Kanako - Fetishism Ark [FULL SONG] [HD] - YouTube
Lyrics : http://i41.servimg.com/u/f41/11/31/41/30/chaos11.jpg

I'm having a hard time trying to analyze the structure of the lyrics before translating them into my mother tongue. I'll be really grateful if someone can spare some time to help me again. Thanks in advance.

光を断てば　闇へと変わり
不思議なまでの　ゼロの空間
空も飛べるよ　そんな「仕様」は
別の理論で　打ち消され行く

1/ Am I right to assume that the first two lines are one sentence (if 光を断てば then 闇へと変わり and 不思議なまでのゼロの空間)?
2/ Does 空も飛べるよ modify そんな「仕様」?

痛ましい景色は　口元を歪めて
その目だれの目?を手招く
次元さえ越えられる　倫理の及ばない
曖昧な境界線　カオスに飲み込まれ－－

3/ その目だれの目?を手招く == その目はだれの目?を手招くisn't it?
4/ Is 次元さえ越えられる　倫理の及ばない a relative clause? Or is it some form of inversion? Also, what might 及ばない mean here?
5/ The last line in the verse look incomprehensible to me. How do you call the form of the verb in the line? And what is its function? I have a feeling that it is different from the present passive form.

Ah 心を震わせる　悪戯な妄想
見上げるこの空も　蒼くないのに
Ah舌を出して笑う　空虚なる支配は
転移を繰り返し　浸食をする
叫ぶような熱さえ　僕はただ逃げ込む...

6/ Does the particle のに link line 2 with line 1 of the verse?
7/ Is 舌を出して笑う 空虚なる支配 another relative clause? Also, なる here is the archaic form of な, isn't it?
8/ Is the form し of a verb used for linking? If て is added to 繰り返し, would line 4 still retain the meaning?
9/ 叫ぶような熱 is the object for the verb 逃げ込む, correct?

針の痛みも　快感とする
革新的な　パルス変換
明日を描いた　点と線形
粗悪の思慮で　砕かれ落ちる

10/ Likewise, is 針の痛み the object for 快感とする?
11/ Are 革新的なパルス変換 and 明日を描いた点と線形 the subjects of 砕かれ落ちる?

背きたい道順　愚かなる願いが
その目だれの目?を呼び込む
頭ごと覗き込む　常識を離反した
拒絶さえ許されない　カオスが始まれば－－

12/ 背きたい道順　愚かなる願いが == 愚かなる願いが背きたい道順 isn't it? And may I ask what 背きたい道順 means?
13/ Line 3 of the verse is two separated actions, am I right?

Ah 飾り立てた塔の　崩壊の序曲も
世界の意志はまた「理屈」で覆い
Ah 目に飛び込む全て　信じられないなら
意識も感情も　無意味なんだね
祈る言葉も無くて　僕はただ逃げ込む...

14/ The particle も in line 1 is bugging me. Does it mean 飾り立てた塔の崩壊の序曲 is also like something which was mentioned beforehand, or is it to link line 1 with line 2?

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by delacroix01

1/ Am I right to assume that the first two lines are one sentence (if 光を断てば then 闇へと変わり and 不思議なまでのゼロの空間)?

Yes. It is one phrase, if not a sentence. But refer to what I am going to say next.

2/ Does 空も飛べるよ modify そんな「仕様」?

I do not think so. The way I see it is that 空も飛べるよ belongs with the first two lines.

3/ その目だれの目?を手招く == その目はだれの目?を手招くisn't it?

Exactly.

4/ Is 次元さえ越えられる　倫理の及ばない a relative clause? Or is it some form of inversion? Also, what might 及ばない mean here?

The relative clause here is 次元さえ越えられる倫理の及ばない曖昧な境界線.

及ばない here means "beyond the reach (or influence) of 倫理".

5/ The last line in the verse look incomprehensible to me. How do you call the form of the verb in the line? And what is its function? I have a feeling that it is different from the present passive form.

It is the continuative present passive voice form if I have to name it. Pretend there is a て at the end. Though it is continuative as a form, no words actually physically continue.

6/ Does the particle のに link line 2 with line 1 of the verse?

Correct.

7/ Is 舌を出して笑う 空虚なる支配 another relative clause? Also, なる here is the archaic form of な, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

No. It is the literary form of である. It is not archaic in any sense of the word.

8/ Is the form し of a verb used for linking? If て is added to 繰り返し, would line 4 still retain the meaning?

It is the continuative form. With て, it sounds informal. Without, it sounds more formal and better with the rest of the lyrics.

9/ 叫ぶような熱 is the object for the verb 逃げ込む, correct?

No. 叫ぶような熱さえ modifies the preceding 浸食をする.
逃げ込む is an intransitive verb, so one cannot say 熱さえ僕はただ逃げ込む.

10/ Likewise, is 針の痛み the object for 快感とする?

Yes.

11/ Are 革新的なパルス変換 and 明日を描いた点と線形 the subjects of 砕かれ落ちる?

Precisely. This alone shows how hard you have been studying.

12/ 背きたい道順　愚かなる願いが == 愚かなる願いが背きたい道順 isn't it? And may I ask what 背きたい道順 means?

I see this differently. I see it as being 背きたい道順 = 愚かなる願い.

背きたい道順 would mean along the lines of "the ordinary rules that I want to disobey" or "the social institutions that I want to ignore".

13/ Line 3 of the verse is two separated actions, am I right?

No. It is not that simple. You tend to treat each physical line in the lyrics as one unit.

頭ごと覗き込む is one action.
常識を離反した拒絶さえ許されないカオス is a relative clause.

14/ The particle も in line 1 is bugging me. Does it mean 飾り立てた塔の崩壊の序曲 is also like something which was mentioned beforehand, or is it to link line 1 with line 2?

Something mentioned prior to it like 背きたい道順 and カオス.

[delacroix01]

Many thanks for your great help as usual This solved a lot of questions that I've been wanting to ask. Still, there are new ones which has just popped up on my mind.

Originally Posted by masaegu

I do not think so. The way I see it is that 空も飛べるよ belongs with the first two lines.

Now that you mentioned this, I have realized that most lines of this song are arranged in absolute balance patterns, like 7-7 syllables for each line of verse 1 & 4, 9-9 for each of verse 3 & 6. The reason for the placement of 空も飛べるよ in line 3 was just to make it synchronize with the music, am I right?

Also, I thought 空も飛べる was a more dramatic & emphatic version of 空を飛べる, but now it's uncertain to me, since I'm thinking that it can be は, not を, plus there's a possibility that it's linked to the phrase 不思議なまでのゼロの空間. Can you help me understand this point?

The relative clause here is 次元さえ越えられる倫理の及ばない曖昧な境界線

Wow, it's much easier to read now. Thank you for clearing this up.

No. 叫ぶような熱さえ modifies the preceding 浸食をする.
逃げ込む is an intransitive verb, so one cannot say 熱さえ僕はただ逃げ込む.

Now this is interesting. Would you mind explaining more about this? I just can't figure out how it modifies the verb.

I see this differently. I see it as being 背きたい道順 = 愚かなる願い.

Ah, so the が in 愚かなる願いが is "but", not the subject marker, isn't it?

No. It is not that simple. You tend to treat each physical line in the lyrics as one unit.

Yeah, I realized that when I read your answer for my 2nd and 4th question. I'm sure this will help me read lyrics much better in the future.

頭ごと覗き込む is one action.
常識を離反した拒絶さえ許されないカオス is a relative clause.

Um, does 常識を離反した modify 拒絶 or カオス?

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by delacroix01

Now that you mentioned this, I have realized that most lines of this song are arranged in absolute balance patterns, like 7-7 syllables for each line of verse 1 & 4, 9-9 for each of verse 3 & 6. The reason for the placement of 空も飛べるよ in line 3 was just to make it synchronize with the music, am I right?

That is correct. In Japanese syllable clusters, 5 and 7 are the key numbers. What one says normally not only tends to sound better but also gets retained longer in others' minds if said with more phrases consisting of 5 and 7 syllables.than others. The best example may be seen in the syllable distributions in Haiku (5-7-5) and Tanka (5-7-5-7-7), but more importantly, the same tendency is seen in our everyday conversations and writings. Poetry and song lyrics are no exceptions.

Also, I thought 空も飛べる was a more dramatic & emphatic version of 空を飛べる, but now it's uncertain to me, since I'm thinking that it can be は, not を, plus there's a possibility that it's linked to the phrase 不思議なまでのゼロの空間. Can you help me understand this point?

In the phrase 空も飛べる , it is not the 空 that is the subject for the verb. The subject is the hidden "one" or "you". You are correct in thinking that 空も飛べる is a more dramatic form of 空を飛べる. 空も飛べる is the same thing as 空さえ（も）飛べる.

The reasons that I say 空も飛べるよ belongs with the two preceding lines rather than what follows are:

1. It ends with the sentence-ending particle よ.
2. The next phrase starts with そんな, which would suggest that something has been stated and a new statement is being made by saying そんな = "that kind of ~~ is ~~."

Now this is interesting. Would you mind explaining more about this? I just can't figure out how it modifies the verb.

Ah舌を出して笑う　空虚なる支配は
転移を繰り返し　浸食をする
叫ぶような熱さえ　僕はただ逃げ込む

I am reading this part as follows:

Ah舌を出して笑う空虚なる支配は、
転移を繰り返し, 叫ぶような熱さえ浸食をする。
僕はただ逃げ込む。

叫ぶような熱さえ may not "modify" 浸食をする in the English sense of "modify". Yet in Japanese, we do say that first part 修飾する the second part. This 熱 is being "浸食する'ed = eroded"

This may not be a best explanation but I hope you can follow what I am trying to say.

Ah, so the が in 愚かなる願いが is "but", not the subject marker, isn't it?

No. It is a subject marker. 背きたい道順&愚かなる願い is the subject.

Um, does 常識を離反した modify 拒絶 or カオス?

It modifies カオス. Both 常識を離反した and 拒絶さえ許されない modify カオス.

[delacroix01]

Originally Posted by masaegu

Ah舌を出して笑う　空虚なる支配は
転移を繰り返し　浸食をする
叫ぶような熱さえ　僕はただ逃げ込む

I am reading this part as follows:

Ah舌を出して笑う空虚なる支配は、
転移を繰り返し, 叫ぶような熱さえ浸食をする。
僕はただ逃げ込む。

叫ぶような熱さえ may not "modify" 浸食をする in the English sense of "modify". Yet in Japanese, we do say that first part 修飾する the second part. This 熱 is being "浸食する'ed = eroded"

This may not be a best explanation but I hope you can follow what I am trying to say.

I think this is just crystal clear. Thanks a lot for the explanation.

No. It is a subject marker. 背きたい道順&愚かなる願い is the subject.

Oh, it seems that I need to re-analyze the entire verse.

First, 背きたい道順　愚かなる願い is the subject, with 愚かなる願い refers to 背きたい道順, isn't it? I'm thinking that it is somewhat like saying "that thing, which..." in English, but not really sure.

Second, is その目だれの目?を呼び込む the latter part of the sentence?

Third, その目だれの目?を呼び込む has the same structure as that of その目だれの目?を手招く in verse 2, doesn't it?

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by delacroix01

First, 背きたい道順　愚かなる願い is the subject, with 愚かなる願い refers to 背きたい道順, isn't it? I'm thinking that it is somewhat like saying "that thing, which..." in English, but not really sure.

Yes, it is. The author is just describing the same thing in two different ways.

Second, is その目だれの目?を呼び込む the latter part of the sentence?

Right.

Subject: 背きたい道順　& 愚かなる願い
Object: その目だれの目
Verb: 呼び込む

Third, その目だれの目?を呼び込む has the same structure as that of その目だれの目?を手招く in verse 2, doesn't it?

These are of the exact same structure.

[delacroix01]

Thanks again for the confirmation, but now I'm getting confused in another way.

痛ましい景色は　口元を歪めて
その目だれの目?を手招く

In this one, you said I could read it as その目はだれの目?を手招く, so I pretended that there was a は and assumed that 痛ましい景色は口元を歪めて and その目だれの目?を手招く are two parts of a compound sentence, and so far I can only think of them this way.

Now for

背きたい道順　愚かなる願いが
その目だれの目?を呼び込む

The latter part has the same structure, but since その目だれの目 in this case is the object, would the relation between その目 and だれの目 be like 背きたい道順 and　愚かなる願い?

Please tell me if I mistook something.

Also, may I read the verse like this?

背きたい道順　愚かなる願いがその目だれの目?を呼び込む
常識を離反した拒絶さえ許されないカオスが始まれば、頭ごと覗き込む

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by delacroix01

In this one, you said I could read it as その目はだれの目?を手招く, so I pretended that there was a は and assumed that 痛ましい景色は口元を歪めて and その目だれの目?を手招く are two parts of a compound sentence, and so far I can only think of them this way.

What I had meant to say (but failed to explain fully) was that 「その目だれの目?」 should be treated as a noun, which is why it can precede the を. It serves as the object for the verb 手招く. I was trying to say that, within the casual phrase (and noun) 「その目だれの目?」, 「は」 was being omitted as far as the grammar used in it.

The latter part has the same structure, but since その目だれの目 in this case is the object, would the relation between その目 and だれの目 be like 背きたい道順 and　愚かなる願い?

No, it would not. 「その目だれの目?」 cannot be separated in the middle.

Also, may I read the verse like this?

背きたい道順　愚かなる願いがその目だれの目?を呼び込む
常識を離反した拒絶さえ許されないカオスが始まれば、頭ごと覗き込む

Precisely.

[delacroix01]

Originally Posted by masaegu

What I had meant to say (but failed to explain fully) was that 「その目だれの目?」 should be treated as a noun, which is why it can precede the を. It serves as the object for the verb 手招く. I was trying to say that, within the casual phrase (and noun) 「その目だれの目?」, 「は」 was being omitted as far as the grammar used in it.

Oh, I get it now. And what その目だれの目?を手招く is actually 痛ましい景色, right?

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by delacroix01

Oh, I get it now. And what その目だれの目?を手招く is actually 痛ましい景色, right?

That is correct.