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UE学術英語論文執筆のヒント003d: 並列構造(パートD)— 比較表現

難易度:上級

Tip003「並列構造」は5つのパートに分かれています。今回のヒントはパートDになります。

何かを比較する場合、比較対象は並列構造に従って配列されていなければなりません。常に並列構造が使えるとは限りませんが、たいていの場合はそれが可能です。

以下がその例です:

(誤)My income is smaller than my wife.
(正)My income is smaller than my wife's.
(訳:私の給料は妻のそれより少ない。)

説明:正しくない文では、まるで給料の大きさと妻の大きさとが比べられているかのように受け取られてしまい、とても奇妙です。正解文では、所有格「’s」のおかげで、それが「妻の給料」を意味するということが読者に伝わります。文意は明瞭です。ここでの並列構造は、「私の給料(my income)」と「妻の給料(my wife’s income)」です。

次の例です。所有格「’s」の使い方に注目して下さい。

(誤)Paul's GPA is higher than Ralph.
(正)Paul's GPA is higher than Ralph's.
(訳:ポールのGPAはラルフのより高い。)

説明:上の例と同様、並列構造は「ポールのGPA」と「ラルフのGPA」です。

もう一つの例を見てみましょう。to動詞と「he」の使い方に注目して下さい。

(誤)In English class, Mike learned to read poems critically and he appreciated good prose.
(正)In English class, Mike learned to read poems critically and to appreciate good prose.
(訳:英語のクラスで、マイクは詩の批評的な読み方と優れた散文の味わい方を学んだ。)

説明:文の最初の部分において既にマイクは「動作主」として現れているので、「…to read… to appreciate…」といった並列構造を用いれば、「he」を使わないで済ませることができます。これによって文により自然さが出ます。

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Uni-edit English Writing Tip: Parallel structures Part D — Making comparisons

Level of difficulty: Advanced

This is the fourth part in a five part series about using parallel structures. This part focuses on marking comparisons in parallel constructions.

While editing English manuscripts, Uni-edit editors often need to correct sentences for correct usage of parallel structures. Correct use of parallel structures makes the writing easier to read and easier to understand for native-speakers of English and for non-native speakers of English.

When making comparisons, the things you compare should be contained in parallel structures. Using parallel structures is not always possible, but it is possible most of the time.

Here is an example:

Incorrect: My income is smaller than my wife.
English corrected: My income is smaller than my wife's.

Explanation: In the incorrect sentence, it appears as though the size of the income is compared to the size of the wife. This is very odd. In the correct sentence, because of the usage of the possessive ('s), the reader understands that means 'the wife's income'. This meaning is clear. The parallel structure is 'my income' and 'my wife's income'.

Here is another example. Pay attention to the use of the possessive: i.e., 's.

Incorrect: Paul's GPA is higher than Ralph.
English corrected: Paul's GPA is higher than Ralph's.

Explanation: Similar to the above example, the parallel structure is ‘Paul’s GPA’ and ‘Ralph’s GPA’.

Here is another example below. Pay attention to the use of 'to verb' and the use of 'he'.

Incorrect: In English class, Mike learned to read poems critically and he appreciated good prose.
English corrected: In English class, Mike learned to read poems critically and to appreciate good prose.

Explanation: As Mike has already been introduced as the “actor” in the first part of the sentence, we can avoid using 'he' by using a parallel structure such as '…to read… to appreciate…'. This makes the sentence more natural.

END OF TIP