小説を読みながら、語彙を増やしましょう。
夏目漱石の小説『坊っちゃん』の原文と毛利八十太郎が英訳した “Botchan (Master Darling)” を併せて見ていきます。
【あらすじ】
主人公を溺愛する下女の清(きよ)は、いつの日か一家の主となった彼と一緒に暮らすことを夢見ています。
●----------------------------------------------------------
And Kiyo seemed to have decided for herself to live with me when I became independent and occupy my own house. "Please let me live with you,"--she repeatedly asked of me. Feeling somewhat that I should eventually be able to own a house, I answered her "Yes," as far as such an answer went. This woman, by the way, was strongly imaginative. She questioned me what place I liked,--Kojimachi-ku or Azabu-ku?--and suggested that I should have a swing in our garden, that one room be enough for European style, etc., planning everything to suit her own fancy. I did not then care a straw for anything like a house; so neither Japanese nor European style was much of use to me, and I told her to that effect. Then she would praise me as uncovetous and clean of heart. Whatever I said, she had praise for me.
I lived, after the death of mother, in this fashion for five or six years. I had kicks from father, had rows with brother, and had candies and praise from Kiyo. I cared for nothing more; I thought this was enough. I imagined all other boys were leading about the same kind of life. As Kiyo frequently told me, however, that I was to be pitied, and was unfortunate, I imagined that that might be so. There was nothing that particularly worried me except that father was too tight with my pocket money, and this was rather hard on me.
imaginative 想像力豊かな
swing ぶらんこ
suit …に都合がいい、ふさわしい
fancy 空想、妄想
not care a straw 少しも気にしない
not much of たいした…ではない
to that effect その趣旨で
uncovetous 欲がない
kick 不平、文句
row 口論
夏目漱石による原文は
こちら。
*** 慣用句を覚えよう ***
Chicken(鶏)
count one's chickens before they are hatched
捕らぬ狸の皮算用をする
Curses (, like chickens,) come home to roost.
人を呪わば穴二つ
get it where the chicken gets the chopper
ひどくしかられる(罰せられる)、ひどいめにあう
go to bed with the chickens
早寝する
play chicken
実際に戦う前に相手が引き下がることを期待して挑戦し合う
run around like a chicken with its head cut off
やたら駆けずりまわる、あたふたする
chicken-and-egg
因果関係のわからない
for chicken feed (money)
はした金で、ただ同然で
chicken head
ばか、間抜け
chickenheart
臆病者、いくじなし
【参考】
▽
青空文庫