<p>I think your analysis is correct. 
The interpretation from Pleco is fit for the context:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[pronounced with stress, indicating certainty]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>If you remove 实在,  that sentence 因为比读书有趣味的事情是太多了doesn't sound natural. </p>

<p>I somehow agree that 实在是 can be used a set for emphasizing the certainty and as a whole, its English equivalent could be <em>indeed, really or truly</em>. For example, 我实在是累了: I'm truly tired. 我实在是受不了: I indeed can't stand it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-21T18:24:18.937Z
Thanks and do native speakers usually use 我实在是累了? Or is it very rare but still used occassionally?
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-21T22:27:05.553Z
@Blaszard yes, we do when we try to stress the certainty.  It's common.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-21T00:35:26.607Z
2018-05-21T00:35:26.607Z
dan
<p>Actually, I think 实在是 hangs together. Your 是 I would interpret as 'those are'.</p>

<p>1因为     2比          3读书     4有趣味的事情 5实在 6是          7太多了。<br>
1because 2compared to 3read-books 4have-fun-things  5really     6those are  7very many </p>

<p>You could rewrite this:</p>

<p>因为有很多事情实在是比读书有趣多了。or 因为有很多事情比读书有趣多了。</p>

<p>在我的心目中，<br>
To my mind,<br>
一个好的作家是长生不死的，<br>
a good author is immortal,<br>
他的肉体当然也和常人一样，<br>
his body, of course, is the same as normal people's,<br>
迟早要化为泥土，<br>
sooner or later, it will become dust,<br>
但他的精神却会因为他的作品的流传而永垂不朽。<br>
but his spirit, because his works are circulated, will not be forgotten and will be immortal.<br>
在今天这种人人都想致富的社会里，<br>
In today's world full of people seeking only wealth,<br>
说这样的话显然是不合时宜<br>
saying such words is evidently unfashionable,<br>
因为比读书有趣味的事情实在是太多了。<br>
because compared to reading books there are many other things which are more fun.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-20T23:42:55.937Z
You can omit 是 in  "因为比读书有趣味的事情实在是太多了" and write "因为比读书有趣味的事情实在太多了" so, "实在是" is not a set term, so are "实在非常XX" ; "实在很XX".   ("实在" functions as adverb)
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-20T23:23:07.357Z
2018-05-20T23:23:07.357Z
Pedroski
<blockquote>
  <p>因为比读书有趣味的事情实在是太多了。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>[因为] [比读书有趣味的事情] [实在] [是] [太多了]。</p>

<p>[because] [things that are more interesting than reading] [really] [is] [too many]。</p>

<ul>
<li><p>“Things than are more interesting than reading” is the subject </p></li>
<li><p>“是” (is) is the verb</p></li>
</ul>

<p>You cannot omit  the “is” in the English sentence, But you can omit the”是” in the Chinese one. (It is implied)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-21T18:22:54.813Z
Thanks but then why does the sentence bother to use 是? If it is unnecessary, it would be better to omit it, wouldn't it? Actually in almost all cases, it is omitted, I think.
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-21T18:43:13.267Z
@Blaszard  "[因为] [比读书有趣味的事情] [实在太多了]" sounds perfectly fine. - When omitting '是' doesn't change the meaning of the sentence or make it grammatically incorrect, it is better to omit.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-22T14:09:21.953Z
Then why is it omitted in this sentence? I feel then what @dan said is correct, that it exists for emphasis.
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-20T20:38:24.953Z
2018-05-20T20:44:46.997Z
2018-05-20T20:44:46.997Z
Tang Ho
<p>Let us drop all the extra information, the sentence will be:</p>

<p>事情<strong>实在是</strong>太多了  √</p>

<p>事情<strong>实在</strong>太多了   √</p>

<p>事情<strong>是</strong>太多了    X</p>

<p>事情太多了      √ </p>

<p>Now we know 是 cann't be used unless being attached to 实在, I don't know Chinese grammar(though I am a native Chinese speaker), I don't think it is a verb. <strong>What verb can not be used standalone?</strong></p>

<p>Besides, the grammar of the sentence also looks weird, it does not follow SVO or SVP</p>

<p>But it reminds me a Japanese grammar--topic particle</p>

<p>象の鼻は長い means (speaking of) the elephant, its nose is long, は is a topic particle.</p>

<p>I would apply the same logic to Chinese, 事情 is topic, 太多了 is a description. 
Since Chinese is not a topic-prominent language. We can not use 是 standalone, 
these particles not necessary also. But if I add a modifier(实在), I can add an additional particle which acts like a topic particle.</p>

<p>This is not Chinese grammar.<br>
This is not Chinese grammar.<br>
This is not Chinese grammar.<br>
3 times for important things.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-21T01:41:32.737Z
2018-05-21T01:41:32.737Z
sfy
<p>In the following sentence:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>在我的心目中，一个好的作家是长生不死的，他的肉体当然也和常人一样，迟早要化为泥土，但他的精神却会因为他的作品的流传而永垂不朽。在今天这种人人都想致富的社会里，说这样的话显然是不合时宜 —————— 因为比读书有趣味的事情实在<strong>是</strong>太多了。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Looking at the Pleco, I found the following:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[pronounced with stress, indicating certainty]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Is this usage of 是 to indicate certainty of the sentence, indicating it is certain that "there are more interesting things than reading"?</p>

<p>Or is it another usage of 是, and in that case what the 是 works for in the sentence?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-20T20:39:51.363Z
bkrs：是V adv.
certainly; for sure
天气是热。 It sure is hot, searching iciba with  是太。。。了 yields ...因为他们实在是太不一样了,实在是太不合时宜了, 你认为一百万是不是太多了,我真是太兴奋啦
user6065
<grammar><meaning-in-context>
What does 是 mean in 因为比读书有趣味的事情实在是太多了?
# What does 是 mean in 因为比读书有趣味的事情实在是太多了?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-05-20)

In the following sentence:

> 在我的心目中，一个好的作家是长生不死的，他的肉体当然也和常人一样，迟早要化为泥土，但他的精神却会因为他的作品的流传而永垂不朽。在今天这种人人都想致富的社会里，说这样的话显然是不合时宜 —————— 因为比读书有趣味的事情实在**是**太多了。

Looking at the Pleco, I found the following:

> [pronounced with stress, indicating certainty]

Is this usage of 是 to indicate certainty of the sentence, indicating it is certain that "there are more interesting things than reading"?

Or is it another usage of 是, and in that case what the 是 works for in the sentence?

**Tags:** grammar, meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: bkrs：是V adv. certainly; for sure 天气是热。 It sure is hot, searching iciba with  是太。。。了 yields ...因为他们实在是太不一样了,实在是太不合时宜了, 你认为一百万是不是太多了,我真是太兴奋啦  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-05-21. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I think your analysis is correct.
The interpretation from Pleco is fit for the context:

> [pronounced with stress, indicating certainty]

If you remove 实在, that sentence 因为比读书有趣味的事情是太多了doesn't sound natural.

I somehow agree that 实在是 can be used a set for emphasizing the certainty and as a whole, its English equivalent could be *indeed, really or truly*. For example, 我实在是累了: I'm truly tired. 我实在是受不了: I indeed can't stand it.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks and do native speakers usually use 我实在是累了? Or is it very rare but still used occassionally?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 yes, we do when we try to stress the certainty.  It's common.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-05-20. Score: 2

Actually, I think 实在是 hangs together. Your 是 I would interpret as 'those are'.

1因为 2比 3读书 4有趣味的事情 5实在 6是 7太多了。  
1because 2compared to 3read-books 4have-fun-things 5really 6those are 7very many

You could rewrite this:

因为有很多事情实在是比读书有趣多了。or 因为有很多事情比读书有趣多了。

在我的心目中，  
To my mind,  
一个好的作家是长生不死的，  
a good author is immortal,  
他的肉体当然也和常人一样，  
his body, of course, is the same as normal people's,  
迟早要化为泥土，  
sooner or later, it will become dust,  
但他的精神却会因为他的作品的流传而永垂不朽。  
but his spirit, because his works are circulated, will not be forgotten and will be immortal.  
在今天这种人人都想致富的社会里，  
In today's world full of people seeking only wealth,  
说这样的话显然是不合时宜  
saying such words is evidently unfashionable,  
因为比读书有趣味的事情实在是太多了。  
because compared to reading books there are many other things which are more fun.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: You can omit 是 in  "因为比读书有趣味的事情实在是太多了" and write "因为比读书有趣味的事情实在太多了" so, "实在是" is not a set term, so are "实在非常XX" ; "实在很XX".   ("实在" functions as adverb)  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-05-20. Score: 1

> 因为比读书有趣味的事情实在是太多了。

[因为] [比读书有趣味的事情] [实在] [是] [太多了]。

[because] [things that are more interesting than reading] [really] [is] [too many]。

* “Things than are more interesting than reading” is the subject
* “是” (is) is the verb

You cannot omit the “is” in the English sentence, But you can omit the”是” in the Chinese one. (It is implied)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks but then why does the sentence bother to use 是? If it is unnecessary, it would be better to omit it, wouldn't it? Actually in almost all cases, it is omitted, I think.  
> **username_4**: @username_0  "[因为] [比读书有趣味的事情] [实在太多了]" sounds perfectly fine. - When omitting '是' doesn't change the meaning of the sentence or make it grammatically incorrect, it is better to omit.  
> **username_0**: Then why is it omitted in this sentence? I feel then what @username_2 said is correct, that it exists for emphasis.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-05-21. Score: 0

Let us drop all the extra information, the sentence will be:

事情**实在是**太多了 √

事情**实在**太多了 √

事情**是**太多了 X

事情太多了 √

Now we know 是 cann't be used unless being attached to 实在, I don't know Chinese grammar(though I am a native Chinese speaker), I don't think it is a verb. **What verb can not be used standalone?**

Besides, the grammar of the sentence also looks weird, it does not follow SVO or SVP

But it reminds me a Japanese grammar--topic particle

象の鼻は長い means (speaking of) the elephant, its nose is long, は is a topic particle.

I would apply the same logic to Chinese, 事情 is topic, 太多了 is a description.
Since Chinese is not a topic-prominent language. We can not use 是 standalone,
these particles not necessary also. But if I add a modifier(实在), I can add an additional particle which acts like a topic particle.

This is not Chinese grammar.  
This is not Chinese grammar.  
This is not Chinese grammar.  
3 times for important things.


---

