さて、犯人は、告白するか否かが、沈黙するＭＬ参加者たちの焦眉の関心事となる。

Sentence Analyzer

English Translation

Well then, it becomes a matter of urgent concern to the lurkers of this mailing list whether the guilty party confesses or not.

Furigana

さて、犯人(はんにん)は、告白(こくはく)するか否(いな)かが、沈黙(ちんもく)するＭＬ参加者(さんかしゃ)たちの焦眉(しょうび)の関心事(かんしんじ)となる。

Romanji

Sate, hannin wa, kokuhakusuru ka ina ka ga, chinmokusuru sankashatachi no shōbi no kanshinji to naru.

Words

偖 (さて)

well; now; then

犯人 (はんにん)

offender; criminal

は (は)

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

告白 (こくはく)

confession; acknowledgement; acknowledgment; profession of love; confession of sins (e.g. the confessional)

か (か)

indicates a question (sometimes rhetorical); or; whether or not; some- (e.g. something, someone); indicates doubt, uncertainty, etc.; emphatic prefix; suffix forming adjectives or adverbs; in that way

否 (ひ)

no; the noes

が (が)

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

沈黙 (ちんもく)

silence; being silent; quiet; hush; reticence; inaction

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

焦眉 (しょうび)

emergency; urgency; imminence

関心事 (かんしんじ)

matter of concern and interest

と (と)

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

成る (なる)

to become; to get; to grow; to be; to reach; to attain; to result in; to prove to be; to consist of; to be composed of; to succeed; to be complete; to change into; to be exchanged for; to play a role; to be promoted; to do ...