verb+方 particle rules when preceded by more than one noun


When using verb+方, does the rule of converting a に or を particle to の only
apply to noun closest to verb+方 or does it apply farther?

For example, if I want to say

> I want to know how to turn a screenshot into an emoji.

Do I say

> スクリーンショット **を** 絵文字のし方を知りたいです。

or do I say

> スクリーンショット **の** 絵文字のし方を知りたいです。




First of all, スクリーンショット **を** 絵文字のし方 is ungrammatical. し方 works as a normal
noun, rather than a verb phrase followed by the noun 方, and therefore doesn’t
take an object with を like that.

スクリーンショット **の** 絵文字のし方 is a grammatical noun phrase, where the noun し方 has two
modifiers, both ending with の. However, its meaning is ambiguous, and
therefore, you should avoid this structure and consider modifying a noun with
a verb phrase, like スクリーンショットを絵文字にする方法, instead.

In general, a modifier with の seems to sound unambiguous and natural if the
original particle is either (1) が to indicate the subject of the verb, (2) を
to indicate the direct object of the verb, or (3) に to indicate a destination
with a motion verb. As long as these conditions are satisfied, a noun phrase
can have more than one modifier with の.

For example, the following sound completely natural.

> 彼女の字の書き方 (from 彼女 **が** 字 **を** 書く)

> 彼の自転車の乗り方 (from 彼 **が** 自転車 **に** 乗る)

These are precisely the cases when the meaning of the original sentence is
understood even if the particles are omitted. While whether or not 乗る should
be categorized as a “motion verb” may be debatable, 「彼、自転車乗る」 is definitely
understood with no ambiguity.

Omitting に doesn’t always work, however. For example, 「スクリーンショット、絵文字する」 sounds
broken, and this is probably why スクリーンショットの絵文字のし方 sounds unnatural. In another
example, 「彼女、プレゼントあげる」 would be most likely understood as a colloquial form of
彼女 **が** プレゼントをあげる, rather than 彼女 **に** プレゼントをあげる, and therefore, this に
should not be omitted if the latter is meant. Therefore, 彼女 is the giver in
彼女のプレゼントのあげ方, not the recipient.

By the way, this に could be converted into a modifier with への. For example, 彼女
**への** プレゼントのあげ方 sounds natural. In the case of your example, the verb should
be changed from する to another with a clearer sense of “change”, as in
スクリーンショットの絵文字への変え方.




First of all, スクリーンショット **を** 絵文字のし方 is ungrammatical. し方 works as a normal
noun, rather than a verb phrase followed by the noun 方, and therefore doesn’t
take an object with を like that.

スクリーンショット **の** 絵文字のし方 is a grammatical noun phrase, where the noun し方 has two
modifiers, both ending with の. However, its meaning is ambiguous, and
therefore, you should avoid this structure and consider modifying a noun with
a verb phrase, like スクリーンショットを絵文字にする方法, instead.

In general, a modifier with の seems to sound unambiguous and natural if the
original particle is either (1) が to indicate the subject of the verb, (2) を
to indicate the direct object of the verb, or (3) に to indicate a destination
with a motion verb. As long as these conditions are satisfied, a noun phrase
can have more than one modifier with の.

For example, the following sound completely natural.

> 彼女の字の書き方 (from 彼女 **が** 字 **を** 書く)

> 彼の自転車の乗り方 (from 彼 **が** 自転車 **に** 乗る)

These are precisely the cases when the meaning of the original sentence is
understood even if the particles are omitted. While whether or not 乗る should
be categorized as a “motion verb” may be debatable, 「彼、自転車乗る」 is definitely
understood with no ambiguity.

Omitting に doesn’t always work, however. For example, 「スクリーンショット、絵文字する」 sounds
broken, and this is probably why スクリーンショットの絵文字のし方 sounds unnatural. In another
example, 「彼女、プレゼントあげる」 would be most likely understood as a colloquial form of
彼女 **が** プレゼントをあげる, rather than 彼女 **に** プレゼントをあげる, and therefore, this に
should not be omitted if the latter is meant. Therefore, 彼女 is the giver in
彼女のプレゼントのあげ方, not the recipient.

By the way, this に could be converted into a modifier with への. For example, 彼女
**への** プレゼントのあげ方 sounds natural. In the case of your example, the verb should
be changed from する to another with a clearer sense of “change”, as in
スクリーンショットの絵文字への変え方.

