The の in のに and なのに


I've heard that the の in のに and なのに is the general-noun の (I don't remember
the word for it.). So why, in that light, does the meaning of the two make
sense?




The particle construction ～（な）のに expresses the **adversative** , i.e. in
English _(al)though_ , _even though_ , etc.

The の in ～のに and ～なのに is a suffix that functions as a nominalizer. の turns any
inflected expression into a noun, and なの does the some for expressions that
cannot be inflected. This happens in order to make the attachment of
grammatical markers possible that usually do not directly attach to the
expressions, or that do so with a different grammatical meaning. The に is
**dative/locative** case, which only appear with nominals.

[code]

     攻撃されたのに、冷静に行動した。
     Even though (he) was attacked, he acted calmly.
    
[/code]

攻撃された is an inflected expression (a passivized verb), hence のに.

[code]

     重要な発見なのに、無視された。
     Though an important discovery, it was ignored.
    
[/code]

発見 cannot be inflected, hence なのに is required.

Some linguists believe that the separation of のに in の and に is not entirely
correct because both particles must be present in order to express the
adversative. The adversative meaning also does not follow from meaning
composition, i.e. combining the nominalizing property of の with
dative/locative に does not result in an adversative reading.  
That の has a nominalizing property can be seen in other examples, such as

[code]

     太郎が行かなかったのを知らなかった。
     (I) didn't know that Taroo didn't go.
    
[/code]

The clause 太郎が行かなかった 'Taroo didn't go' is nominalized, and hence the
accusative case particle を can attach.

The answer to your question then is: の in ～（な）のに is a nominal particle that
produces nouns, or nominal expressions. Therefore, some linguists call it a
**particle noun** (e.g. [Jens
Rickmeyer](http://webcatplus.nii.ac.jp/webcatplus/details/creator/442125.html)).




The particle construction ～（な）のに expresses the **adversative** , i.e. in
English _(al)though_ , _even though_ , etc.

The の in ～のに and ～なのに is a suffix that functions as a nominalizer. の turns any
inflected expression into a noun, and なの does the some for expressions that
cannot be inflected. This happens in order to make the attachment of
grammatical markers possible that usually do not directly attach to the
expressions, or that do so with a different grammatical meaning. The に is
**dative/locative** case, which only appear with nominals.

[code]

     攻撃されたのに、冷静に行動した。
     Even though (he) was attacked, he acted calmly.
    
[/code]

攻撃された is an inflected expression (a passivized verb), hence のに.

[code]

     重要な発見なのに、無視された。
     Though an important discovery, it was ignored.
    
[/code]

発見 cannot be inflected, hence なのに is required.

Some linguists believe that the separation of のに in の and に is not entirely
correct because both particles must be present in order to express the
adversative. The adversative meaning also does not follow from meaning
composition, i.e. combining the nominalizing property of の with
dative/locative に does not result in an adversative reading.  
That の has a nominalizing property can be seen in other examples, such as

[code]

     太郎が行かなかったのを知らなかった。
     (I) didn't know that Taroo didn't go.
    
[/code]

The clause 太郎が行かなかった 'Taroo didn't go' is nominalized, and hence the
accusative case particle を can attach.

The answer to your question then is: の in ～（な）のに is a nominal particle that
produces nouns, or nominal expressions. Therefore, some linguists call it a
**particle noun** (e.g. [Jens
Rickmeyer](http://webcatplus.nii.ac.jp/webcatplus/details/creator/442125.html)).

