[化学論文のための英語講座] 第24回：Enough and Sufficiently

(English version is here.)

「enough」と「sufficiently」は両方とも「十分、足りる」という意味を持ちます。まず「enough」について以下の文章を見て、適切な答えを選んでください。

1. Butyllithium is (a strong enough/an enough strong) base to deprotonate a terminal alkyne.
2. (Enough butyllithium/Butyllithium enough) was added to form the dianion.
3. The quantity of butyllithium (enough was/was enough) to form the dianion.

[ポイント解説]
「enough」は形容詞としても副詞としても使えます。形容詞として用いる場合は名詞の前に置きますが、副詞として用いる場合は動詞または形容詞の後に置きます。

[答]
1. a strong enough（「strong」は形容詞なので「enough」は副詞として使われます）
2. Enough butyllithium（「butyllithium」は名詞なので「enough」は形容詞として使われます）
3. was enough（「was」は動詞なので「enough」は副詞として使われます）

「sufficiently」について、以下の文章を見て適切な答えを選んでください。

4. Boron trifluoride etherate is (sufficiently acidic/acidic sufficiently) to catalyze the cyclization.
5. (Boron trifluoride etherate sufficient/Sufficient boron trifluoride etherate) was added to catalyze the cyclization.
6. The mixture was (sufficiently stirred/stirred sufficiently) to maintain a uniform suspension.

[ポイント解説]
「sufficiently」は副詞です。形容詞を修飾する場合は形容詞の前に置きます。動詞を修飾する場合は動詞の前後どちらにも置けます。「sufficient」は形容詞で名詞の前に常に置きます。

[答]
4. sufficiently acidic（「acidic」は形容詞なので「sufficiently」は副詞として使われます）
5. sufficient boron trifluoride etherate（「boron trifluoride etherate」は名詞なので「sufficient」は形容詞として使われます）
6. sufficiently stirred もしくはstirred sufficiently （「stirred」は動詞なので「sufficiently」は前後どちらにも置けます）

[補足] 「enough」は話し言葉、「sufficient」は書き言葉として用いられることが多いです。

次回は「助動詞shall」です。

Enough and Sufficiently

Enough and sufficiently both mean as much or as many required or to the degree or extent required. First, let us look at the following examples using enough, and select the appropriate answer.

1. Butyllithium is (a strong enough/an enough strong) base to deprotonate a terminal alkyne.
2. (Enough butyllithium/Butyllithium enough) was added to form the dianion.
3. The quantity of butyllithium (enough was/was enough) to form the dianion.

Explanation:
Enough can be used as an adjective or an adverb. When used as an adjective, it is placed before the noun, however, when used as an adverb it is placed after the verb or adjective.

Answers:
1. a strong enough (Strong is an adjective and thus enough is used as an adverb.)
2. Enough butyllithium (Butyllithium is a noun and hence enough is used as an adjective.)
3. was enough (Was is a verb so enough is used as an adverb.)

Now let us look at examples using sufficiently and select the appropriate answer.

4. Boron trifluoride etherate is (sufficiently acidic/acidic sufficiently) to catalyze the cyclization.
5. (Boron trifluoride etherate sufficient/Sufficient boron trifluoride etherate) was added to catalyze the cyclization.
6. The mixture was (sufficiently stirred/stirred sufficiently) to maintain a uniform suspension.

Explanation:
Sufficiently is an adverb. When modifying an adjective, it is placed before the adjective. When modifying a verb, it can be placed either before or after the verb. Sufficient is an adjective and is generally placed before the noun.

Answers:
4. sufficiently acidic (Acidic is an adjective so sufficiently is used as an adverb.)
5. sufficient boron trifluoride etherate (Boron trifluoride etherate is a noun and thus sufficient is used as an adjective.)
6. sufficiently stirred or stirred sufficiently (Stirred is a verb and hence sufficiently can be placed either before or after.)

Supplement:
Enough is often used in speaking while sufficient is often used in writing.

At next time, we will discuss the auxiliary verb shall.