Why から with 始まる?


I have seen 始まる constructed with から several times. Yet, the start is a point
in time, not a period. For instance, I would expect

> 春は３月２１日に始まります。

or

> 春は３月２１日からです。

rather than

> 春は３月２１日から始まります。




Both `～に始まる` and `～から始まる` are possible; it's just that they emphasize
different things.

`Xに始まる` emphasizes the precise time that something begins, with the focus
being on that specific point. The particle に pinpoints that exact moment as a
temporal identifier of the stated event X.

`Xから始まる` emphasizes the fact that there is a span of time which started from a
certain point X but continues forward. If differs from the above in that it
includes a recognition that there is a starting point X as well as a period of
time which follows that can also be considered contiguous to the start point
and relevant.

I could point out that this is possible in English too:

> **(1)** School term starts **on** April 1st.  
>  **(2)** School term starts **from** April 1st.

These are both possible but as with the Japanese sentences, they have a
slightly different focus, Sentence (1) emphasizes a specific point and
Sentence (2) includes the span of time which follows from that point.

In either English or Japanese, which one you decide to use depends on what you
want to express in your sentence.




Both `～に始まる` and `～から始まる` are possible; it's just that they emphasize
different things.

`Xに始まる` emphasizes the precise time that something begins, with the focus
being on that specific point. The particle に pinpoints that exact moment as a
temporal identifier of the stated event X.

`Xから始まる` emphasizes the fact that there is a span of time which started from a
certain point X but continues forward. If differs from the above in that it
includes a recognition that there is a starting point X as well as a period of
time which follows that can also be considered contiguous to the start point
and relevant.

I could point out that this is possible in English too:

> **(1)** School term starts **on** April 1st.  
>  **(2)** School term starts **from** April 1st.

These are both possible but as with the Japanese sentences, they have a
slightly different focus, Sentence (1) emphasizes a specific point and
Sentence (2) includes the span of time which follows from that point.

In either English or Japanese, which one you decide to use depends on what you
want to express in your sentence.

