What is supposed to be first or second for ながら


So I learned that ながら means doing things are the same time, but is a certain
activity specified as a main activity or the first activity? My textbook
always puts the second activity first in the translation.

For example: 「音楽を聞きながら運転するのが好きです。」

**Does this mean:** "as I listen to music, I liked to exercise?"

**Or:** "I like to exercise as I listen to music?"

**Or:** "I like to listen to music as I exercise"

**Or:** "I like to exercise and listen to music at the same time?"

They are different because the first one specifies that you are listen to
music kind of as the main thing and exercisng on the side. While the second
one specifies that you are exercising as the main thing and listening to music
as you exercise.

Does the 好き apply to both 音楽 and 運転?




Japanese is a nearly completely [head-final
language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head-directionality_parameter#Head-
final_languages). This means a modifier almost always comes first and the main
part comes last. Also in 音楽を聞きながら運転する, 音楽を聞きながら is a modifier that modifies
the main verb, 運転する. So in English, it's "to drive while listening to music".
(Note that 運転 is "to drive", not "to exercise").

> (私は)音楽1を2聞き3ながら4運転する5のが好き6です。  
>  I like6 driving5 while4 listening3 to2 music1.

English is a strongly head-initial language. See how the word order is almost
completely reversed except for the subject.




Japanese is a nearly completely [head-final
language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head-directionality_parameter#Head-
final_languages). This means a modifier almost always comes first and the main
part comes last. Also in 音楽を聞きながら運転する, 音楽を聞きながら is a modifier that modifies
the main verb, 運転する. So in English, it's "to drive while listening to music".
(Note that 運転 is "to drive", not "to exercise").

> (私は)音楽1を2聞き3ながら4運転する5のが好き6です。  
>  I like6 driving5 while4 listening3 to2 music1.

English is a strongly head-initial language. See how the word order is almost
completely reversed except for the subject.

