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Phrase
| Some change takes place gradually. | Reach the point where~; come to~; it has come to be that~; have finally become |
| 【Related Expression: ことになる; なくなる; ようにする】 |
(ksa). ジャクソンさんは日本語が話せるようになった・なりました。
Mr. Jackson has reached the point where he can speak Japanese.
(ksb). 林さんは酒を飲まないようになった・なりました。
Mr. Hayashi has reached the point where he does not drink sake./ Mr. Hayashi doesn't drink sake any more.
| Vinformal nonpast | ようになる | |
| {話す /話さない}ようになる | Someone reaches the where he talks/doesn't talk | |
| {食べる /食べない}ようになる | Someone reaches the point where he eats/doesn't eat |
(a). 難しい日本語が読めるようになりました。
I am finally able to read difficult Japanese.
(b). パットは私と話さないようになった。
Pat doesn't talk with me any more.
(c). もうすぐ面白さが分かるようになりますよ。
You'll soon come to understand the fun of it, I tell you.
(d). この道は今通れないようになっている。
This street has reached a point where people cannot pass./ At present we cannot use this street.
1. Although ようになる usually indicates a gradual change, when it is preceded by an affirmative verb the change may not take place gradually. Thus, an adverb such as 急に 'suddenly' can co-occur with an affirmative verb and ようになる as seen in (1).
When ようになる is preceded by a negative verb (as in Key Sentence (B)), however, the change must take place gradually. If the change is not gradual, なくなる is used in place of ないようになる.
(See Related Expression II.)
2. ようになっている emphasizes a current state that has come about after a long process, as in Example (d).
3. There are two ways to negate this construction, but the meanings are completely different. The verb before ように can be negated, as in (2a), or the verb なる can be negated, as in (2b).
(2a) means that the speaker can't memorize kanji any more, and (2b) means that he is not yet able to memorize kanji.
4. ように by itself can be used as an adverbial phrase, along with main verbs other than なる.
【Related Expressions】
I. ことになる 'it has been decided that ~' and ようになる are related expressions in that both of them indicate some change, but they differ in that the former implies a passive decision, while the latter suggests a change brought about by a long process. Compare the following sentences:
[1]
II. When the verb before ようになる is negated, as in Key Sentence (B), this construction can be compared to the なくなる construction.
[2]
The ないようになった version in [2a] implies a more gradual change than the なくなった version in [2b]. Thus, adverbs such as 急に 'suddenly' or 突然 'suddenly' can co-occur with [2b] but not with [2a].