It was then that... vs "That was when..."?

Question

I'm not very sure if both mean exactly the same but I've noticed that the former is more widely use in Japanese novels translated into English. Whereas the latter is more often used in English novels (not from England but originally written in English). Examples: >It was then that the thought occurred to him. > > That was when he spotted the man. Is one more commonly used than the other? Which one you would usually in literary work?

Answer 1

Both phrases mean the same functionally. Neither is explicitly more "literary". The difference is in the tone and emphasis.

"It was then that" is a more florid phrasing, whereas "that was when" is simpler and more direct in tone. As a writer, you would chose a phrasing that works best with your style or, if it's a piece of dialogue, works best as how you imagine your character would express themselves. For example, a police report in a crime novel probably wouldn't use such ornamental language as the first example, but perhaps the inner monologue of a daydreaming young person would be more fanciful.

Also, the the first example emphasizes the significance of WHEN, (it was THEN that...), whereas the second places more emphasis on the WHAT, (that was when HE SPOTTED THE MAN.)

I'm not familiar with Japanese, but my guess would be that it's a quirk of translation or perhaps a choice that reflects Japanese syntax.