なぜ、その英語では通じないのか?

著者 : マーク・ピーターセン

• 集英社インターナショナル (2016年4月5日発売)

作品紹介・あらすじ

「バージン・ロード」「リベンジ」はなぜ英語としておかしいのか? なぜ、「思う」はthinkではダメなのか? 英語と日本語の細やかなニュアンスに精通した著者が教える、「英語らしい通じる英語」とは?

感想・レビュー・書評

[balance.strikerさんの感想 · 2022年8月14日]

ハイレベルなバイリンガル視点での有益情報満載

日本語と英語を熟知した視点から、学習者視点で丁寧に英語表現を解説する本。英語を学ぶ時につまずきやすいポイントがとてもリアルで親しみやすく、あるある、と頷いてしまう。痒いところに手が届くというか、解説がカバーする範囲が読者目線で、とても気が利いている。ストライクど真ん中の、自然な表現力を身につけるのに最適。

[123456qazさんの感想 · 2020年10月18日]

She got revenge on her husband by secretly putting curry powder in his wine.　「（報復を遂げて）もうこれで気が済んだ」というイメージ
She took revenge on her boyfriend by secretly releasing ear mites on his dog’s fur.　「（報復はしたけど、）これでは気が済まず、更なる報復を企んでいる」というイメージ
Revenge is a dish best served cold.　少し冷静になってやった方がうまくいく
We went to the shop partly to make up for the previous time, when my wife had been a bit under the weather and hadn’t really been able to enjoy it.　埋め合わせする・体調すぐれず　Are you feeling under the weather?体調悪いの？

”Do your best !”　どうせ無理だろうが、全力を尽くせば悔いは無いだろうさ（否定的な感触がする表現）
No matter how hard I tried, I still couldn't get the cork out of the bottle.　頑張る・努力する
Despite my best efforts, I still couldn't get the cork out of the bottle.
However I worked at it, I still couldn't get the cork out of the bottle.
Even though the excuse she made up was an obvious lie, she stuck to it.　我を通そうとした
Even though the excuse she made up was an obvious lie, she wouldn't yield.　yield産む・引き起こす・明け渡す
Even though the excuse she made up was an obvious lie, she persisted with it.
The guards at the university’s main gate refused to budge,　bˈʌdʒ　占拠して動かないでいる　kept their place,　maintained their position

Virgin Road（まだ誰も通ったことがない・完成したての道）というイメージ
Down the aisle I'll walk with you just to hear the words "I do." All of my life I want to be good and sweet till eternity.　永遠に優しくしてあげたい

読書はhobbyとは呼ばない/学生の1人から”What's your hobby?” と訊かれてびっくり
空いた時間に何をするのが好きか？と訊きたいのなら
What do you like to do in your spare time?　What do you do for fun?　Do you enjoy any particular pastimes? （娯楽・気晴らし）

○○が苦手だ　Sada Masashi's songs are not at all to my taste.　I don't get along with J君.
I hate the texture of uncooked tomatoes.　トマトの食感
I love the slippery mouthfeel of okra.　ネバネバした感覚・滑りやすい・つるつるした　slimyネバネバ・嫌らしい
Nadal has been Federer's nemesis.　néməsɪs　手ごわい相手　複数形nemeses
I have no talent for foreign languages.　 I'm poor at foreign languages.
I have no aptitude for foreign languages.　才能・素質

状態動詞であるknow　知っている状態そのもの
知っているようになる　I want to come to know how to make good tasting risotto.

almostは副詞→修飾できるのは動詞、形容詞、副詞のみ
almost Japanese peopleとはpeople who are almost Japanese「日本人ではないけれど、日本人に極めて近い人」
〇形容詞のmost　I think most Japanese people are against war.
I think almost all Japanese people are against war.　nearly　nearly all　practically　

I almost died.　I very nearly died.　ほとんど死ぬところだった。

”I think ～”「今この場で思いついたことなんだけど」という意味合い
知っている限りは～だと思う　I believe the film you are looking for, No Country for Old Men, is in stock in the university's Media Library.
I believe he's currently unemployed.

sweet（砂糖や蜜を使った味・感触）肯定的なイメージ/否定的な文脈には使えない
塩気が少ない　very lightly salted
That teacher is strict with his students but overly indulgent with his own children.　自分の子供には甘い
She is overly optimistic （too lax） in her thinking.
Both of the lid's screws are loose.
否定的な表現　甘ったるいa cloying fragrance　saccharine music

～すべき
We need to take precautions against the coming insurrection.　priˈkɔʃʌnz　来るべき蜂起に備える
I intend to preserve my virginity until the appropriate time comes.　しかるべき時までバージンで

had better　The bus is going to leave on schedule, so you had better not be late.　～しなければマズイことになりますよ　toは不要

×など　I live with my family, and I don’t have to worry about living expenses such as clothes, food, school expenses, and so on.　→〇worry about such living expenses as clothes, food, or school fees.
During the summer vacation, my younger sister read such important 19th century Russian novels as Fathers and Sons, Crime and Punishment, and War and Peace.

〇など　I own sneakers from several manufacturers, including Nike, Adidas, Reebok, and Puma.

×例示　Our team participated in several events. For example, we did sprints, hurdling, high jump, pole vault, shot put, and so on.　棒高跳び　→〇 several events, including sprints,…

never　強調・絶対に～ではない/　not ever　いつであっても～ない
I will never attend the meeting on the 24th.　24日の会議にはいつまでたっても出席しない
I will definitely (absolutely　certainly) not attend the meeting on the 24th.　絶対に出席しない
His dog Brenda never comes when he calls her name.　いつだって来ない/絶対に来ないの意ではない

Besides,　×また・加えて→〇どっちにしても　Aという理由がなくてBという理由だけでも決定的なものになる
I don't have anything else in particular to do. Besides, the pay is good.
×Golf is an enjoyable sport. Besides, it is good exercise.　〇Golf is an enjoyable sport. Also, it is good exercise.

Is tomorrow free for you?　YesNoの答えの場合→意味＝まったく　Yes, it quite free.
How cold do you think it'll get tomorrow?　程度の場合→かなり　I think it'll get quite cold.
I don't quite understand Miss Lund.　ランド嬢のことは、ちょっと分からないことがある
Well, maybe he's not quite as romantic as you are.　お前ほどロマンチストじゃない→～になるまでには足りないところがある
We haven't quite decided whether he committed suicide or died trying to escape.　まだ決めかねている
you have quite a record　大した経歴の持ち主
it would be quite a feather in your cap, wouldn't it?　兜に羽つける→立派な業績

Please find out if she has close friends.　いるかもしれない友人（複数の友人）
Please find out if she has any close friends.　一人もいないかもしれないがとりあえず調べて
Please find out if she has some close friends.　複数いるだろう友人を調べて

We have some varieties of flowers in our garden at home.　いくつかはあるがあまり多くない種類の
We have varieties of flowers in our garden at home.　何種かの花

Can you lend me some money?　いくらか貸して　any money　いくらでもいいから

willの意味　推量（だろう）の意味はない/未来に起こること
×It will rain tomorrow.　〇It will probably rain tomorrow.　It looks like it will rain tomorrow.
The film will probably open in early December.　副詞probably を修飾

比べたら
Uzbekistan's income tax rate is lower than Monaco's.
Jeb Bush isn't particularly intelligent, but compared to [with] his brother George, he's practically a genius.　兄と比べたらまるで天才だ
My face is rather large for my body.　体のわりに顔が大きい
Unlike Epson's manufacturer-controlled goods, the colors of Chinese-made ink cartridges are a little strange.

no/notを使わない否定文
I would hardly have any alcoholic beverages in the house.　ほとんど置いていない・程度が限られている
She could scarcely have spoken of the tragedy.　ほとんど話せなかった
I was dissatisfied with his reply.　否定のdis　rɪplάɪ
I have yet to find any proof at all of her infidelity.　まだ全然見つけていない　ìnfədéləṭi　うわき・不貞

動詞＋副詞＋副詞＋前置詞
Gold coins were brought up from below the hull of the sunken ship.　船体の下から海面まで引き上げられた　船体/皮をむく
At about 3:30, the UFO moved away from above my tent and disappeared in an instant.

理由 because/since　からずっと→ever since
I get the blues most every night because I fell for you.　君にほれたので
sinceにすると理由なのか「からずっと」の意味なのかが曖昧になる。
からずっと　I get the blues most every night I fell for you.　the blues：憂鬱

受身
She was bitten to death by her two pet serval cats.
Her two pet serval cats bit her to death.

しかし　However　固い文書のみ・学術論文のような堅い内容になら合う　still although though nevertheless nonetheless
I thought the ramen would be too salty, but it wasn't.
The painting is definitely from 17th century Holland, has a beautifully balanced composition, and demonstrates a sophisticated treatment of light. Unfortunately, however, it is not by Vermeer.　vɝmɪr
She did poorly in the interview, yet she somehow managed to get the job.

コンマ
Americans, who are ignorant of foreign languages, should be re-educated.　先行詞を限定　アメリカ人は外国語知らない・再教育されるべき
Americans who are ignorant of foreign languages should be re-educated.　知らない人だけ再教育すべき

The seminar students, (who were省略可) clever enough to butter up the professor all got good grades.　ゼミの学生全員
The seminar students (who were省略可) clever enough to butter up the professor all got good grades.　おべっかを使った生徒のみ、成績がよかった

分詞構文・現在分詞を使うもの
She was walking in front of the library building, staring at the display on her iPhone.　付帯状況を表す・Staringが先では違和感あり
Uncorking a bottle of Chianti Classico, Masashi decanted the wine and poured out a glass of it.　動作や出来事を順に表す　デキャンタ＝ワインを大きな容器に移し替えることで香り・空気に触れさせることで味わいがまろやかに

分詞構文・過去分詞を使うもの　過去分詞→受身　他動詞
(Being / Having been) Translated in a classical literary style, this Baudelaire poetry collection is my favorite book.　ボードレール仏の詩人
Being / Having beenを省略しなければ、本が好きな理由・原因になっているニュアンス

Made by Seiko, this watch is extremely expensive.　セイコーによって作られたこの時計は…　×セイコー製だから/理由ではない

×Written in Basque, I couldn't read the letter.　分詞の意味上の主語と文の主語が同じでなければならない
〇Written in Basque, the letter was impossible for me to read.
Smashed up with a sledgehammer, the chair was useless.　大ハンマーで打ち壊されて
Reaching the top of the mountain, I found the blue sky to be very beautiful.

慣用表現　Frankly speaking, this wine has a vinegar smell.
Strictly speaking, peanuts are legumes, not nuts.　légjuːm　マメ

Frankly speaking, I would say that this wine has a vinegar smell.　 I would say thatが省略
Strictly speaking, one should say that peanuts are legumes, not nuts.　

倒置
否定語を前に出す倒置　Barely had he begun to speak about the death of his turtle when he suddenly burst out crying.
Not one of the songs had I heard before.　I had not heard any of the songs before.

強調のための倒置　A lie like that she would never tell.
Only twice has she ever complained.　たった二度しか文句を言った事がない
Up went the falcon, like a rocket.　Upを前に出す倒置　ハヤブサ

礼状
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sandler,
Thank you so much for taking the time to show me around Sydney. I had a wonderful day.
×guide　ガイドさん・障害者の案内のイメージ
In particular, the Royal Botanic Gardens were very impressive, and our kayak-tour around the harbour was truly exciting.
Sydney was even more beautiful than I had imagined it would be, and I look forward to the chance to visit again.
想像していたのは過去→過去完了形使う
In the meantime, if you ever have occasion to visit Japan, I do hope you will let me know.
現時点からまたシドニーに行く時までの間を表す
I would love to show you some of my favorite places in my hometown of Kamakura.
With warmest regards and appreciation, ○○Name

[へ〜たさんの感想 · 2016年10月17日]

マーク・ピータセン 2016年4月の新刊、本屋でたまたま見つけて読了。マーク・ピータセンと言えば、名著『日本人の英語』と『痛快! コミュニケーション英語学』(後に『英語塾』)で日本人の英語力を確実に底上げした立役者だ。

本書は、「なるべくこれまでの著書で取り上げたことのない用法を中心に解説したつもり」とのことだが、"revenge" とか "virgin load" とか特定の語彙に関する話が多く、広く使えそうなのは "quite" くらいか。その後は will や関係詞の限定/非限定用法、分詞構文など過去の著作で詳述されている内容の抜粋。全体的にボリュームに乏しく、これなら『英語塾』を読み返した方がいい。章末にある「覚えたい重要例文」も冗長。マーク・ピータセンが示す例文はどれも個性的で判り易く、読者が思わず「これは覚えておきたい」と思うようなものばかりだ。なので、どの例文を「覚えたい重要例文」とするかは読者に任せて、無駄な繰り返しにページを費すのはやめることだ。