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Hi all is it true that と言っても and とは言え are the same thing except that と言っても is for spoken clauses whereas とは言え is for written clauses?

Chocolate
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Pacerier
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1 Answers1

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According to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar, と（は）言っても and とは言え are synonymous and interchangeable without changing the meaning of the sentence. とは言え is used primarily in writing, while と（は）言っても is used in both written and spoken Japanese.

rintaun
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    btw what is the reason that there is an optional は after the と particle? – Pacerier Jul 19 '11 at 10:55
  • @Pacerier Sorry, but I'm honestly not sure of the reason. – rintaun Jul 19 '11 at 22:26
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    Certain negations are further emphasized with the inclusion of は. Consider "まちがっていない" vs "まちがってはいない". The meaning is the same but usually by putting は, speaker wants to show contrast with another thing. – syockit Jul 23 '11 at 10:43