I have two textbooks, and they seem to give opposite definitions for 「〜というものではない」. The first one says it means "it's not just a matter"; while the other one says that
[It follows] a statement to express that the speaker really feels the statement to be accurate or appropriate. [It emphasizes] the speaker's desire to convey the meaning of the statement or the essence of the matter discussed.
My confusion manifests in the following example sentences, which appear to have almost opposite meanings given each explanation:
- この病気は寝ていれば治るというものではない。
- 相手が好きだから結婚できるというものでもない。
From what I understand, I would translate them either (using the first explanation) as
- Curing this disease isn't just a matter of resting in bed.
- You cannot marry your partner just because you love him/her.
or (using the other explanation) as
- I really think that resting in bed will cure you of this disease.
- I really think that you can marry your partner because you love him/her.
Can someone fill me in on the points I'm obviously missing? Thank you.
Edit: I checked with my teacher; and she agrees with the two answers below. Thanks again!
Answer
The first explanation is correct, that is to say the appropriate translations for your examples would be:
- Curing this disease isn't just a matter of resting in bed.
- You cannot marry your partner just because you love him/her.
Another example:
- どんなことでもお金で解決できるというものではない。 It's not always possible to resolve any problem with money.
Now I somewhat agree with your second manual, in that it brings some emphasis. But not to the statement preceding 〜というものではない, it would be to the whole sentence. It would be interesting if this (second) manual included some examples...
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