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言いなす (いいなす) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
godan verb (-su), transitive verb
speak as if something were the case ; make it sound like ; smooth over with words
Used when someone describes a situation in a way that makes it seem a certain way, often to avoid conflict or to present a favorable impression. Can imply a slight distortion or diplomatic phrasing.
彼かの 女じょ は 自じ 分ぶん の 失しっ 敗ぱい を 言い いなし て 、 まるで 成せい 功こう し た か の よう に 話はな し た 。
She talked about her failure in a way that made it sound like a success.
Written forms 言い いなす Usage 70%
Standard spelling using 言い (say) and kana なす. The kanji form 言い做す is also used but less common.
いいなす Usage 30%
言い い 做な す
Kanji spelling using 做す (to do/make). Seen in some dictionaries but less frequent in modern usage.
言いい 做な す
Abbreviated kanji form; rare and may be considered non-standard.
Similar words 言い い 繕つくろ う 言い繕う focuses on covering up or glossing over a mistake or fault with words, often with a sense of patching up. 言いなす is broader, meaning to speak in a way that makes something seem a certain way, not necessarily to hide a fault.
取と りなす 取りなす means to mediate or smooth over a situation between people, often by intervening. 言いなす is about the manner of speaking itself, not necessarily mediation.
Etymology Compound of 言い (the continuative form of 言う 'to say') and なす (an old verb meaning 'to do' or 'to make', also seen in words like 為す). The combination literally means 'to make say' or 'to do saying', evolving to mean 'to speak in a certain way'.
