Meaning of ～ことは～ようか


In an anime I heard the line

> 戻ることは戻ろうか。中のほうが暖かいし

which was translated as "But we probably should head back. It's warmer
inside". I know the [～ことは～ようが](https://japanesetest4you.com/flashcard/learn-
jlpt-n2-grammar-%E3%81%93%E3%81%A8%E3%81%AF%EF%BD%9E%E3%81%8C-koto-waga/)
form, meaning "but" (like 「この薬は効くことは効くが、飲むと眠くなってしまう」), but I wasn't able to
find the form with ようか, so I was wondering what's different: the AようがB form
means "A, but B", while from that anime line AようかB seems to mean something
like "But we should A, [since] B", but without having more examples it's just
a wild guess.

Edit: The protagonists went outside to try a boomerang one of them gifted to
the other; after trying it for a bit, one of them says the sentence I'm asking
about, and starts heading inside.

[Here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZTvKNjk2t77swopeAtZKij9jclP4wcRB/view?usp=sharing)
I uploaded the audio, if anyone wants to check if I heard correctly.

Edit: more context: Adachi met Shimamura for the first time not long ago and
they became friend; she's clearly in love with her, while at the moment
Shimamura's feelings aren't so clear.

They spent Christmas together, then exchanged gifts: Adachi got a boomerang,
so they head outside to try it. She isn't able to throw it very well
(Shimamura's comment is いまいち), though she does some nice tries not having used
one before, so Shimamura asks if she should buy something else and Adachi says
she likes it. Then Shimamura acknowledges this (そう) and says the sentences I
asked about.




Actually there is no difference between your two examples (戻ることは戻る and
効くことは効く). This pattern is used when the speaker reluctantly admits this
action, but wants to imply it is associated with something undesirable at the
same time.

Note that the "undesirable" part may not be explicitly mentioned. In other
words, this construction is **usually** used with が/けど, but that's not a
requirement at all:

  * この薬は効くことは効く。  
この薬は効くには効く。  
This drug is "effective", at least.  
Well, this medicine does "work".

  * 中の方が暖かいので戻ることは戻ろう。  
中の方が暖かいし、戻るには戻ろうか。  
It's warm inside so let's head back _(although ...)_.  
We should head back at least cuz it's warm inside _(but ...)_.

So 戻ることは戻ろうか means she has some other concern, but convinced herself to go
inside anyway. For example, she may have wanted to stay outside because she
was waiting for someone. Please check the context again.

A similar pattern exists with nouns and adjectives.

  * 彼はいい人はいい人ですよ。  
Well, I admit he is a "nice" person _(but...)_.

  * まあ美味しいは美味しい。  
It _is_ good in terms of taste _(but...)_.

These imply there is something bad at the same time without explicitly saying
が/でも.

* * *

**EDIT:** I checked the video. The actual conversations is as follows:

> S「イマイチ？」  
>  A「うーん……。」  
>  S「そっか……。あ、今から **戻って** 何か別のを買おうか？」  
>  A「いい、いい。気に入ってるし。」  
>  S「そう。でも、戻ることは戻ろうか。中の方があったかいし。」

So this 戻ることは戻ろう means not "Let's get back anyway (although I want to stay)"
but "Let's get back anyway (although we won't buy a new present)". Shimamura
suggested 戻って and 何か別のを買おう, and Adachi said they don't have to, implying they
can stay longer. Still, Shimamura read between the lines and said "At least,
let's get back." After all, this type of は is the familiar contrastive-wa used
when there is a contrast.




Actually there is no difference between your two examples (戻ることは戻る and
効くことは効く). This pattern is used when the speaker reluctantly admits this
action, but wants to imply it is associated with something undesirable at the
same time.

Note that the "undesirable" part may not be explicitly mentioned. In other
words, this construction is **usually** used with が/けど, but that's not a
requirement at all:

  * この薬は効くことは効く。  
この薬は効くには効く。  
This drug is "effective", at least.  
Well, this medicine does "work".

  * 中の方が暖かいので戻ることは戻ろう。  
中の方が暖かいし、戻るには戻ろうか。  
It's warm inside so let's head back _(although ...)_.  
We should head back at least cuz it's warm inside _(but ...)_.

So 戻ることは戻ろうか means she has some other concern, but convinced herself to go
inside anyway. For example, she may have wanted to stay outside because she
was waiting for someone. Please check the context again.

A similar pattern exists with nouns and adjectives.

  * 彼はいい人はいい人ですよ。  
Well, I admit he is a "nice" person _(but...)_.

  * まあ美味しいは美味しい。  
It _is_ good in terms of taste _(but...)_.

These imply there is something bad at the same time without explicitly saying
が/でも.

* * *

**EDIT:** I checked the video. The actual conversations is as follows:

> S「イマイチ？」  
>  A「うーん……。」  
>  S「そっか……。あ、今から **戻って** 何か別のを買おうか？」  
>  A「いい、いい。気に入ってるし。」  
>  S「そう。でも、戻ることは戻ろうか。中の方があったかいし。」

So this 戻ることは戻ろう means not "Let's get back anyway (although I want to stay)"
but "Let's get back anyway (although we won't buy a new present)". Shimamura
suggested 戻って and 何か別のを買おう, and Adachi said they don't have to, implying they
can stay longer. Still, Shimamura read between the lines and said "At least,
let's get back." After all, this type of は is the familiar contrastive-wa used
when there is a contrast.

