What does ということ mean?

[Fociis]

Is this construct used to quote someone and report what someone else said?

Ken asked "if you would like to go bowling."

[ポール]

Is this construct used to quote someone and report what someone else said?
Ken asked "if you would like to go bowling."

"The thing called"

教えるということは大いに忍耐力を要する。
Teaching asks a lot of patience. (The thing called teaching asks a lot of ...)

"The fact stated as"

英語が世界中で一番広く話されているということは否定 できない。 There is no denying that English is spoken most widely in the world.

Obviously it isn't usually literally translated.

[undrentide]

Another translation I can think of is

"that means..."

「今日は朝から雨が降っているよ」
「ということは、午後の試合はきっと中止になるね」

[Buntaro]

I can also think of ということ as verbal quotation marks, like in Undrentide-san's example.

I guess と literally translates as quotation mark, doesn't it...?

[ポール]

I can also think of ということ as verbal quotation marks, like in Undrentide-san's example.

I guess と literally translates as quotation mark, doesn't it...?

Well the と serves a quoting function but you can't just use it on its own in Undrentide's example.

「今日は朝から雨が降っているよ」
「と午後の試合はきっと中止になるね」 ← ×

You can have other similar constructions though.

「今日は朝から雨が降っているよ」
「というわけで、午後の試合はきっと中止になるね」

「今日は朝から雨が降っているよ」
「というと、午後の試合はきっと中止になるね」