Contrasting 〜てならない、〜てしょうがない and 〜てたまらない


These three phrases can be used to express emotions and feelings that cannot
be controlled.

For example in the following sentences:

a) １点差で負けたので、悔しく **てならない** 。  
b) １点差で負けたので、悔しく **てしょうがない** 。  
c) １点差で負けたので、悔しく **てたまらない** 。

With this,

1) How do the above sentences differ? Are they all interchangeable? Are any
"stronger" than the others? (To me てたまらない seems particularly strong due to
たまらない meaning "unbearable".)

2) If we were to literally translate the above sentences would they be
something along the lines of:

a) I lost by one point, it's so frustrating it just can't be.  
b) I lost by one point, it's so frustrating there is nothing I can do.  
c) I lost by one point, it's so frustrating it's unbearable.

Note: I understand the てならない and てしょうがない have an additional function when used
with verbs which can mean "can't help but", as in
この写真を見ると、子供の頃のことが思い出されてならない／しょうがいない。However, for the scope of this question, I
think we should keep it to the meaning of "unbearably" or "so ~".




## Tentative transmission of nuances

If you permit it, I'll use other sentences rather than yours, that allow me to
express better my understanding of those grammatical constructions.

The meanings are very close as you know, so, it still might be ambiguous…

> 会いたくてならない

I want to see you again, it's stronger than me.  
Keywords: inability-to-refrain, state-reached

> 会いたくてしょうがない

I want to see you again at any cost. It's a pity, I know, but there's nothing
we can do about it.  
Keywords: hopelessness, fatalism

> 会いたくてたまらない

I so much want to see you again, I'm deeply in love you know!  
Keywords: self-control, feelings

## Corpus bonus

Interesting data coming from a nice blog article ([original
link](http://nishimura-hisashi.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post_4951.html) no
longer active and [not available in WayBack
Machine](https://web.archive.org/web/20151022233407/http://nishimura-
hisashi.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post_4951.html)):

「てならない」  
①気がして ②思えて ③思われて ④不思議で ⑤気になって  
①思われて ②気がして ③不安で ④気になって ⑤かわいそうで

「てたまらない」  
①～したくて ②うれしくて ③おかしくて ④好きで ⑤嫌で  
①～したくて ②うれしくて ③気の毒で ④嫌で ⑤さびしくて

「てしかたがない」  
①②気がして 涙が出て ③～したくて ④見えて ⑤気になって  
①気になって ②思われて ③～したくて ④気がして ⑤涙が出て

You may also like this [Chie-like entry](http://okwave.jp/qa/q4170018.html).

