しかし水とは濡れているものだと教わっても水についてほとんどわからないのと同様に、そんなことを言っても何も語っていることにはならないのである。

Sentence Analyzer

English Translation

That, however, tells you just about as much as you would know about water if you were told that it was wet.

Furigana

しかし水(みず)とは濡(ぬ)れているものだと教(おそ)わっても水(みず)についてほとんどわからないのと同様(どうよう)に、そんなことを言(い)っても何(なに)も語(かた)っていることにはならないのである。

Romanji

Shikashi mizu to wa nureteiru mono da to osowatte mo mizu nitsuite hotondo wakaranai no to dōyō ni, sonna koto o itte mo nani mo katatteiru koto ni wanaranai no de aru.

Words

然し (しかし)

however; but

水 (みず、み)

water (esp. cool, fresh water, e.g. drinking water); fluid (esp. in an animal tissue); liquid; flood; floodwaters; water offered to wrestlers just prior to a bout; break granted to wrestlers engaged in a prolonged bout

と (と)

if; when; and; with; particle used for quoting (with speech, thoughts, etc.); quoting particle; promoted pawn; indicates question (sentence end)

は (は)

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

濡れる (ぬれる)

to get wet

者 (もの、もん)

person

だ (だ)

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative

教わる (おそわる)

to be taught

も (も)

too; also; in addition; as well; (not) either (in a negative sentence); both A and B; A as well as B; neither A nor B (in a negative sentence); even; as much as; as many as; as far as; as long as; no less than; no fewer than; even if; even though; although; in spite of; further; more; again; another; the other

に就いて (について)

concerning; regarding; per (e.g. 100 yen per person); for every

殆ど (ほとんど)

mostly; nearly; practically; well-nigh; almost invariably; all but; just about; almost

分かる (わかる)

to understand; to comprehend; to grasp; to see; to get; to follow; to become clear; to be known; to be discovered; to be realized; to be realised; to be found out

の (の)

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

同様 (どうよう)

identical; equal to; same (kind); like; similarity

に (に)

at (place, time); in; on; during; to (direction, state); toward; into; for (purpose); because of (reason); for; with; by; from; as (i.e. in the role of); per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month"); and; in addition to; if; although

そんな (そんな)

such (about the actions of the listener, or about ideas expressed or understood by the listener); like that; that sort of

事 (こと、こん)

thing; matter; incident; occurrence; event; something serious; trouble; crisis; circumstances; situation; state of affairs; work; business; affair; after an inflectable word, creates a noun phrase indicating something the speaker does not feel close to; nominalizing suffix; pretending to ...; playing make-believe ...; alias; aka; nickname; alternative name; also known as

を (を)

indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.

言う (いう、ゆう)

to say; to utter; to declare; to name; to call; to go (e.g. "the alarm went ping"); to make a noise

何 (なに、なん)

what; how many; you-know-what; that; whatsit; what's the expression; what do you call them; what?; hey!

語る (かたる)

to talk about; to speak of; to tell; to narrate; to recite; to chant; to indicate; to show

ば (ば)

if ... then; when; and; why don't you...?; the more (one does something); because; since

或 (ある)

a certain ...; some ...