Who is the subject of this sentence?


Most of the time when I read Japanese sentences, I have no confidence whether
the speaker or another person is the subject. Let's see one example as
follows.

> 主人は、料理にかけては、誰にも引けを取らないと信じている。

I think the speaker is a woman (housewife). But what I don't understand is who
the believer is? Here I have two interpretations as follows:

  * A: The speaker is the believer 

> When it comes to cooking, I believe that my husband is better than anyone
> else.

  * B: The speaker's husband is the believer

> When it comes to cooking, my husband believes that he is better than anyone
> else.

Is there a method to determine the correct subject in this kind of sentence?

# Edit

Rather than posting a new question that seems to be related to this question,
let me ask an additional question here. If you think it should be separated, I
will do it.

Considering [broccoli forest's
comment](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/35859/who-is-the-
subject-of-this-sentence#comment70574_35861) as follows,

> It's perfectly natural if you parse it 「主人は誰にも引けを取らない」と信じている。 where
> 「主人は誰にも引けを取らない」 is what the writer thinks.

it leads me to the additional question "Does each of the following make the
writer the subject?"

  * Adding 「・・・」as @broccoli forest did.

> **「** 主人は、料理にかけては、誰にも引けを取らない **」** と信じている。

  * Adding こと.

> 主人は、料理にかけては、誰にも引けを取らない **こと** と信じている。

  * Adding ということ.

> 主人は、料理にかけては、誰にも引けを取らない **ということ** と信じている。




The given quote, "主人は、料理にかけては、誰にも引けを取らないと信じている" is incomplete and confusing
even to native Japanese speakers.

It can be taken either way as you say;

  * My husband believes he is a better cook than anyone else, or

  * I believe my husband is a better cook than anyone else.

But I guess the quoted sentense suggests that the speaker's husband believes
himself being an excelent cook," unless the speaker says
"主人は、料理にかけては誰にも引けを取らないと、 **私は** 信じている."

As Japanese language omits the subject very often unlike English language, you
need to be trained to speculate and judge what the subject is from the
context. I don't think there is an established rule or playbook to identify
it.




The given quote, "主人は、料理にかけては、誰にも引けを取らないと信じている" is incomplete and confusing
even to native Japanese speakers.

It can be taken either way as you say;

  * My husband believes he is a better cook than anyone else, or

  * I believe my husband is a better cook than anyone else.

But I guess the quoted sentense suggests that the speaker's husband believes
himself being an excelent cook," unless the speaker says
"主人は、料理にかけては誰にも引けを取らないと、 **私は** 信じている."

As Japanese language omits the subject very often unlike English language, you
need to be trained to speculate and judge what the subject is from the
context. I don't think there is an established rule or playbook to identify
it.

