Understanding Xになったままで and/or まま in general


> **仰向けになったままで** 、ハリーは今まで見ていた夢を思い出そうとしていた。  
>  Became face up ???, Harry tried to recall the dream he'd been having.

まま is one of those things that fills me with dread whenever I see it in a
sentence. I know that it roughly indicates that a state remains the same, but
I really struggle to understand how to use it properly, or how to translate
it.

This example is even more perplexing because なる indicates that a state is
changing and まま indicates that it is staying the same. How should I understand
the clause in bold.

Does anyone have a good way to understand まま in general?




> 「 **仰向{あおむ}けになったままで** 、ハリーは今{いま}まで見{み}ていた夢{ゆめ}を思{おも}い出{だ}そうとしていた。」

First of all, the 「仰向けになった」 part suggests that Harry had already been lying
for some time in some kind of **non-face-up** body position, correct? Then, he
turned around on his back. 「～になる」 would describe that position change.

「仰向けになった **ままで** + Mini-Sentence」 means "He did something **while he was lying
on his back (or 'lying face up')** ".

To use 「まま（で）」 correctly, a certain action must take place first and then the
"new" state brought by that action must also continue for some time. 「まま（で）」
is used to describe **another action** that takes place **_while that new
state lasts_**.

Exceptions to the above, however, exist and that is when 「まま（だ/です/である, etc.）」
appears at the end of the sentence. For instance:

「あの人は5年前{ねんまえ}にインドへ渡{わた}った **ままです** 。」 means:

"That guy went over to India 5 years ago **_and he has not returned_**."

Japanese-speakers will know that he has not returned home without you saying
it directly. The 「ままです」 says it all for us.

In translating 「仰向けになったままで」, I myself would **not** translate the 「になった」 part
literally by using a form of "to become" because it would only make the TL
look clumsy. Therefore, I would simply opt for:

・"While lying face up, Harry ~~~." or

・"Now, lying on his back, Harry ~~~."

That is to say if one of those fitted at all in the context.




> 「 **仰向{あおむ}けになったままで** 、ハリーは今{いま}まで見{み}ていた夢{ゆめ}を思{おも}い出{だ}そうとしていた。」

First of all, the 「仰向けになった」 part suggests that Harry had already been lying
for some time in some kind of **non-face-up** body position, correct? Then, he
turned around on his back. 「～になる」 would describe that position change.

「仰向けになった **ままで** + Mini-Sentence」 means "He did something **while he was lying
on his back (or 'lying face up')** ".

To use 「まま（で）」 correctly, a certain action must take place first and then the
"new" state brought by that action must also continue for some time. 「まま（で）」
is used to describe **another action** that takes place **_while that new
state lasts_**.

Exceptions to the above, however, exist and that is when 「まま（だ/です/である, etc.）」
appears at the end of the sentence. For instance:

「あの人は5年前{ねんまえ}にインドへ渡{わた}った **ままです** 。」 means:

"That guy went over to India 5 years ago **_and he has not returned_**."

Japanese-speakers will know that he has not returned home without you saying
it directly. The 「ままです」 says it all for us.

In translating 「仰向けになったままで」, I myself would **not** translate the 「になった」 part
literally by using a form of "to become" because it would only make the TL
look clumsy. Therefore, I would simply opt for:

・"While lying face up, Harry ~~~." or

・"Now, lying on his back, Harry ~~~."

That is to say if one of those fitted at all in the context.

