means "over", "surrounding": a noun is the thing people argue, compete or negotiate about. It goes straight after the noun, and the rest of the sentence says who clashed or what was debated. It is often written in kana, をめぐって, and belongs to news and formal writing.
、。
Two families are fighting over who owns the land.
、。
There was a fierce debate over the new law.
、。
Trouble broke out between the brothers over the inheritance.
を巡って or について
is a plain "about" and goes with any verb of saying or thinking. を巡って needs more than one side: a dispute, a debate, rival claims, rumours going round. With one person writing or explaining, use について.
。
I wrote a report on Japanese history.
、。
Scholars are divided over how to interpret the history.
- × 日本の歴史を巡ってレポートを書いた → 日本の歴史についてレポートを書いた
Usage notes
These go beyond the て-form linking two clauses.
を巡る before a noun
To describe a noun, use を巡る.
。
The argument over this issue is still going on.
を巡り in news writing
を巡り is the written form of を巡って, common in headlines and reports.
、。
The ruling and opposition parties are at odds over the budget.
Lingaku