掲示板 Forums - I need a second opinion on the meaning of 高さ

I noticed the example sentence for changing A into a noun via さ has an incorrect translation. Here's the sentence in question:

それ の 高さ は いくら で す か 。

How expensive is it?

While it's true that the adjective 高い has the meaning of "expensive", when it gets turned into a noun via さ, that meaning gets dropped. 高さ only refers to things like physical height, elevation, intensity, or degree.

A sentence like その靴の値段の高さには驚かされた only works because you're modifying 高さ with 値段の. It's the "price" that's "high".

I'm only posting this because the sentence is used as an example in the grammar dictionary, and can confuse learners.

An answer from a native or near-native speaker would very much be appreciated! I'm open to being wrong.

My argument is that just because 高い = expensive doesn’t mean 高さ = expensiveness is a common or natural usage without sufficient context to back it up.

With how vague the sentence is, most people would just assume "high" or "tall". それ can be a lot of things, but in the overwhelming majority of cases would be something that works within the bounds of "physical height, elevation, intensity, or degree".

I'm not saying it can't mean "expensive", just that it's usually anchored (unambiguously) to a financial concept.

My problem is that this translation implies that it's normal to say 「車の高さはいくらですか？」 or 「シャツの高さはいくらですか？」 to mean "how expensive" or "how much do they cost", but if you try to look those up it's always going to be about "physical dimensions".

Here's what it gives you about a shirt

シャツの「高さ」という言葉は、具体的な測り方によって意味が異なります。最も一般的なのは「裄丈」で、これは肩の付け根から袖口までの長さです。一般的に、シャツのサイズ表記では裄丈が用いられます。また、シャツの長さを指す場合もあります。。。 (it goes on about seizes)

For the record this is Google's AI assistant thing, but that's on Google not me. Regardless, if you look at the results themselves you won't find a single mention of "price", just "physical dimensions" like "sleeve length".

All I'm saying is that if it's confusing for an upper intermediate such as myself, it's likely to confuse beginners

.

Update: Someone checked in with a native and apparently "no native speaker would say such a thing, and we are all wasting our time arguing about it."

Got it! Thank you for your time. I get that about AI, hence why I clarified it. When I said "results themselves" I wasn't talking about the AI generated response. It wasn't my only source.

A bit tangential, but I absolutely despise how Google forces AI generated answers down your throat to Google searches.

It's not really the same thing in my opinion. There's no ambiguity and the meaning is congruent with the general definition of 高さ.

For the record, I have no issue with "の高さはいくら" in and of itself

Sorry for splitting the discussion into a separate thread, I wasn’t sure if the notes section under the sentence was the right place for a longer or more detailed discussion and wanted some broader opinions.

Yes, thank you! For the grammar entry you can always just swap in a different sentence, but you've done plenty.

Edit: This is just a suggestion, I don't think it's really necessary.

actually i don't know what it means.