Why can を be followed by a non-verb?


When I read the following sentence,

> 少しでも長生きをという願いをかなえるために、医療は目覚ましい進歩を遂げてきた。

I think there is a missing verb as indicated as follows.

> 少しでも長生きを **[missing verb]** という願いをかなえるために、医療は目覚ましい進歩を遂げてきた。

Why can を be followed by non-verb? What kind of grammar is being applied here?




As you have correctly guessed, this と is the quotative particle and the part
before it is a quote.

> 「少しでも長生きを」という願いをかなえるために、医療は目覚ましい進歩を遂げてきた。

A sentence that ends with を is commonly used as an expression which means
"We/I/You need/want ～", "Give us ～", "Accomplish ～", etc., depending on the
context.

  * See: [Making sense of をと](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/20954/5010)
  * Example: <http://www.hyogoben.or.jp/activity/index-02.html>

One may say that a verb したい is omitted in this particular case, because 長生き is
usually used with する:

> 「少しでも長生きを **（したい）** 」という願いを…

But I don't think people bother to imagine the omitted verb in a case like
this. Perhaps what you have to understand is that the noun mentioned before を
is strongly desired.




As you have correctly guessed, this と is the quotative particle and the part
before it is a quote.

> 「少しでも長生きを」という願いをかなえるために、医療は目覚ましい進歩を遂げてきた。

A sentence that ends with を is commonly used as an expression which means
"We/I/You need/want ～", "Give us ～", "Accomplish ～", etc., depending on the
context.

  * See: [Making sense of をと](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/20954/5010)
  * Example: <http://www.hyogoben.or.jp/activity/index-02.html>

One may say that a verb したい is omitted in this particular case, because 長生き is
usually used with する:

> 「少しでも長生きを **（したい）** 」という願いを…

But I don't think people bother to imagine the omitted verb in a case like
this. Perhaps what you have to understand is that the noun mentioned before を
is strongly desired.

