What is the meaning of this ものか


> いくほどの年を経たものか

I know the basic uses of ものか like strong negation etc, but I do not understand
this use. Does it have the same meaning here as ことか? Is the speaker wondering
about the present or the past?

Is it related to this 日本語文法辞典 entry that appear in this topic: [What does the
~たものか mean in
どうやって彼らを誤魔化したものか?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/65745/what-
does-the-%E3%81%9F%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8B-mean-
in-%E3%81%A9%E3%81%86%E3%82%84%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A6%E5%BD%BC%E3%82%89%E3%82%92%E8%AA%A4%E9%AD%94%E5%8C%96%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8B)?

What are the possible meanings of `過去形＋ものか`？




As for the sentence in question, 過去形 is simple past.

  * I wonder how many years passed (have passed)

In the same _I wonder_ sense of 過去形+ものか, a past tense can be used for
something that hasn't happened yet, as in the following question and the
linked one.

  * [どう言い訳したものか. Sentence translation difficulties](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/28794/%E3%81%A9%E3%81%86%E8%A8%80%E3%81%84%E8%A8%B3%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8B-sentence-translation-difficulties)

(A little superficial, but) It can be considered something like subjunctive in
English.

  * どうやって彼らを誤魔化したものか I wonder how I **could** deceive them?
  * どう言い訳したものか I wonder how I **could** excuse?

To some extent, this is ambiguous. That is, 過去形＋ものか can mean a thing that
happened or haven't happened. For example, どう言い訳したものか in some contexts can
mean _I wonder how (someone else) explained (in the past)_.

* * *

(added)

At the bottom, ものか makes the question rhetoric. A J-E dictionary has [the
following](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/en/%E3%82%82%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8B/#je-75592):

> 1〔思案〕  
>  行ったものかどうか  
>  I wonder whether I should go (or not).
>
> 2〔強い反問〕  
>  二度とあそこに行くものか  
>  I will never go there again.／《俗》 I'll be damned if I go there again!  
>  そんなこと知るものか  
>  How would I know (such a thing)?

I agree that 現在形＋ものか tends to mean 2, but it still depends on context.

  * これがうまくいくものか、やってみなくてはわからない.

is #1 above and 'I wonder if it will work; I can't tell unless I actually
try'.

  * これがうまくいくものか！

is 'How can this work = Never!' and means #2.

