Using を when not followed by a verb


I understood the sentence below:

> この面白い話を落語と言い、落語をする人を落語家といいます。

as to be:

> Such interesting stories are known as 落語, and people who tell 落語 are called
> 落語家.

However, if the meaning is as I have interpreted, what is the grammatical
rules with regards to the usage of を in the above? Would it also work if it
was simply

> この面白い話「が」落語と言い、落語をする人「が」落語家といいます。

Sentence lifted from Lesson 20 of Genki II.




> Using を when not followed by a verb

But 「言{い}い」 and 「いいます」 are both verbs in:

> 「この面白{おもしろ}い話{はなし}を落語{らくご}と **言い** 、落語{らくご}をする人{ひと}を落語家{らくごか}と **いいます** 。」

「言い」 is the continuative form and 「いいます」 is the masu-form of the verb 「言う」,
isn't it?

Thus, 「言い」 is used mid-sentence because the sentence still continues after it.

「Noun + を」 does not need to be followed _**directly**_ by a verb. There can be
other words placed in between as in:

「ラーメンを **おいしく** 食{た}べる」

「カーテンを **ゆっくり** 開{あ}ける」, etc.

Hope you are following this explanation.

> 「 **A** + を + **B** + と + 言う」

BTW. is an extremely common set phrase meaning:

> "to call A 'B'"

You ask:

> Would it also work if it was simply:
>
> 「この面白い話「が」落語と言い、落語をする人「が」落語家といいます。」

No, it would not. That would not be natural-sounding under normal
circumstances. Careful speakers would not use 「が」 in that sentence.




> Using を when not followed by a verb

But 「言{い}い」 and 「いいます」 are both verbs in:

> 「この面白{おもしろ}い話{はなし}を落語{らくご}と **言い** 、落語{らくご}をする人{ひと}を落語家{らくごか}と **いいます** 。」

「言い」 is the continuative form and 「いいます」 is the masu-form of the verb 「言う」,
isn't it?

Thus, 「言い」 is used mid-sentence because the sentence still continues after it.

「Noun + を」 does not need to be followed _**directly**_ by a verb. There can be
other words placed in between as in:

「ラーメンを **おいしく** 食{た}べる」

「カーテンを **ゆっくり** 開{あ}ける」, etc.

Hope you are following this explanation.

> 「 **A** + を + **B** + と + 言う」

BTW. is an extremely common set phrase meaning:

> "to call A 'B'"

You ask:

> Would it also work if it was simply:
>
> 「この面白い話「が」落語と言い、落語をする人「が」落語家といいます。」

No, it would not. That would not be natural-sounding under normal
circumstances. Careful speakers would not use 「が」 in that sentence.

