Of all people: 〜ともあろう
名詞 + ともあろう + 名詞（者・人・方）が
X ともあろう者が + unworthy act = “someone as respectable as X, doing that!”: indignant reproach, written register.
In short
〜ともあろう expresses indignant reproach: someone as respectable, of such high standing as X, should never have done that. The structure is almost fixed: X ともあろう者が／人が／方が + unworthy behaviour, often followed by とは, なんて or a judgement (情けない, 信じられない). Written register, editorials, criticism.
- 大臣ともあろう人が、こんな発言をするとは信じられない。だいじんともあろうひとが、こんなはつげんをするとはしんじられない。It's unbelievable that a minister could make such a remark.
- 警察官ともあろう者が、飲酒運転で捕まるとは。けいさつかんともあろうものが、いんしゅうんてんでつかまるとは。A police officer, of all people, arrested for drink-driving!
- 一流ホテルともあろうものが、客の予約を忘れるなんて。いちりゅうホテルともあろうものが、きゃくのよやくをわすれるなんて。A top-class hotel forgetting a guest's booking — that's unheard of.
The basics
あろう is a classical form of ある (“who would be, who is supposed to be”). X ともあろう者 = “someone who is no less than X”. You stress X's prestige… the better to denounce what they did.
It's like English “a minister, of all people, …!” or “him, of all people”. The emotion is indignation or disappointment.
That a minister, of all people, should lie!
- noun
- grammatical form
- verb
- particle
- 大臣ともあろう人がうそをつくとは。だいじんともあろうひとがうそをつくとは。That a minister, of all people, should lie!
- 社会人ともあろう者が、そんな言い訳をしてはいけない。しゃかいじんともあろうものが、そんないいわけをしてはいけない。A working adult shouldn't hide behind excuses like that.
How to form it
X is a noun for a status, a respected profession or an institution, sometimes the name of a well-regarded person. After ともあろう there must be a noun picking up X: 者 (neutral, written), 人, 方 (respectful, ironic), もの (for an institution).
| Element | Choice | Example |
|---|---|---|
| X | status, rank, institution | 医者, 大臣, 一流企業 |
| after ともあろう | 者／人／方／もの + が | 医者ともあろう者が |
| end of sentence | とは, なんて, 〜てはいけない | 〜するとは情けない |
- 一流大学の教授ともあろう方が、論文を盗用するなんて。いちりゅうだいがくのきょうじゅともあろうかたが、ろんぶんをとうようするなんて。That a professor at a top university should plagiarise a paper!
Always a reproach
ともあろう is never used to pay a compliment: “大臣ともあろう人が立派な演説をした” sounds absurd. What follows describes a fault, a weakness, or a warning (〜てはいけない, 〜べきではない).
- 横綱ともあろう者が、土俵の上で取り乱すべきではない。よこづなともあろうものが、どひょうのうえでとりみだすべきではない。A sumo grand champion shouldn't lose his composure in the ring.
ともあろう, ともなると, にあるまじき, たるもの
These four forms are all about status. ともなると notes what's normal at that level. ともあろう denounces a specific act. にあるまじき directly labels the act unworthy (教師にあるまじき行為). たるもの states a general duty (教師たるもの…べきだ).
| Form | Role | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ともなると | what goes without saying at that level | 教師ともなると責任が重い |
| 〜ともあろう者が | reproach for an act | 教師ともあろう者がうそを |
| 〜にあるまじき | an act unworthy of X | 教師にあるまじき行為 |
| 〜たるもの | general duty | 教師たるもの公正であれ |
- それは教師にあるまじき行為だ。それはきょうしにあるまじきこういだ。That's an act unworthy of a teacher.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the noun after ともあろう: “大臣ともあろうが” is wrong; you need 者が, 人が or 方が.
- Using it to praise someone: the sentence always expresses reproach or disappointment.
- Confusing it with ともなると, which describes a normal situation, not a wrongdoing.
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N1 point is on the Kyūshū Line (Values and society) of the Shinkansen.