と言えば／というと (to ieba to iu to): Speaking of a topic
～と言えば／というと (to ieba to iu to)
Meaning
Speaking of; when it comes to
Formation and usage
Topic noun or phrase + と言えば/というと, followed by a related association, comment, or clarification.
Explanation
Pick up a mentioned topic and introduce an associated idea. To ieba commonly brings up related information or a memory. To iu to can also introduce a question clarifying what someone has just said.
Examples
春と言えば、桜を思い浮かべます。
Speaking of spring, cherry blossoms come to mind.
北海道というと、雪の景色が有名ですね。
When it comes to Hokkaido, its snowy scenery is famous.
旅行と言えば、来月どこかへ行きますか。
Speaking of travel, are you going anywhere next month?
田中さんというと、昨日会議に来ていた方ですか。
By Mr. Tanaka, do you mean the person who attended yesterday's meeting?
この町の名物と言えば、手作りのせんべいです。
Speaking of this town's specialties, handmade rice crackers are one of them.
How related patterns differ
と言えば/というと brings up an associated topic. といったら can emphasize an extraordinary degree. といっても qualifies a statement, while というより offers a more accurate description. ということだ reports or summarizes information, unlike evaluative というものだ.