Does this で mean である?


> さも自分は当事者 **で** 真相を知っているかの如く、新しい奇怪な物語を描き、

I always wondered if it was possible to replace である with で, is it what that
is? 当事者である真相を知っているかの如く、

Furthermore, I'd like clarifications regarding two other things:

1- How would you translate さも in this case? 2- Is かの如くsomething working by
itself? It reminds me of かのように




> 「さも自分{じぶん}は当事者{とうじしゃ} **で**
> 真相{しんそう}を知{し}っているかの如{ごと}く、新{あたら}しい奇怪{きかい}な物語{ものがたり}を描{えが}き、」

This 「で」 is explained here:

[How to parse
中国人で日本語が話せる方は、お電話ください。](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/24917/how-
to-
parse-%e4%b8%ad%e5%9b%bd%e4%ba%ba%e3%81%a7%e6%97%a5%e6%9c%ac%e8%aa%9e%e3%81%8c%e8%a9%b1%e3%81%9b%e3%82%8b%e6%96%b9%e3%81%af-%e3%81%8a%e9%9b%bb%e8%a9%b1%e3%81%8f%e3%81%a0%e3%81%95%e3%81%84)

> I always wondered if it was possible to replace である with で, is it what that
> is?

No, it is not, but you almost got it. In meaning:

「で」＝「であ **り** 」 and not 「であ **る** 」

That is because 「であ **る** 」 is in the terminal form, with which you can end a
sentence. 「で」 and 「であ **り** 」 are both in the continuative forms.

> 1- How would you translate さも in this case?

"as if"

> 2- Is かの如くsomething working by itself? It reminds me of かのように

It can work by itself, but in this case, it works in conjunction with 「さも」.

「かの如く」 means the same thing as 「かのように」. Only, the former is more formal than
the latter.

> "As if (someone) were the party concerned and knew the truth, s/he would
> create new and uncanny stories and..."




> 「さも自分{じぶん}は当事者{とうじしゃ} **で**
> 真相{しんそう}を知{し}っているかの如{ごと}く、新{あたら}しい奇怪{きかい}な物語{ものがたり}を描{えが}き、」

This 「で」 is explained here:

[How to parse
中国人で日本語が話せる方は、お電話ください。](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/24917/how-
to-
parse-%e4%b8%ad%e5%9b%bd%e4%ba%ba%e3%81%a7%e6%97%a5%e6%9c%ac%e8%aa%9e%e3%81%8c%e8%a9%b1%e3%81%9b%e3%82%8b%e6%96%b9%e3%81%af-%e3%81%8a%e9%9b%bb%e8%a9%b1%e3%81%8f%e3%81%a0%e3%81%95%e3%81%84)

> I always wondered if it was possible to replace である with で, is it what that
> is?

No, it is not, but you almost got it. In meaning:

「で」＝「であ **り** 」 and not 「であ **る** 」

That is because 「であ **る** 」 is in the terminal form, with which you can end a
sentence. 「で」 and 「であ **り** 」 are both in the continuative forms.

> 1- How would you translate さも in this case?

"as if"

> 2- Is かの如くsomething working by itself? It reminds me of かのように

It can work by itself, but in this case, it works in conjunction with 「さも」.

「かの如く」 means the same thing as 「かのように」. Only, the former is more formal than
the latter.

> "As if (someone) were the party concerned and knew the truth, s/he would
> create new and uncanny stories and..."

