[化学論文のための英語講座] 第50回：形容詞 Part6

(English version is here.)

以下の例文を見てみましょう。

1. The purple, clear, 13-17, five fractions were combined and concentrated.

形容詞の順番に気がつきましたか？実は英語では形容詞をいくつ繋げても構いませんが、順番が決まっています。英語圏の人々のほとんどはこの規則を意識せずに守っています。例文1を英語圏の方に書き直してもらうと、文章が以下のようになるかもしれません。

2. The five, clear, purple fractions 13-17 were combined and concentrated.

まず規則を確認しましょう。

1)序数または序数形容詞はほとんどいつも最初に置きます。 2)基数 3)意見、感想、評価 4)大きさ 5)物理的品質 6)古さ、新しさ 7)形 8)色 9)所属(sub group)または出身 10)素材 11)型や種類(group) 12)最後は目的です。主語の後に現れる場合もあります。 ※ 例外がかなり多いです。

数字は最初に置き、それから主観的な形容詞が続き、最後に客観的な形容詞の順番になります。この規則を踏まえて、例文２を見てみましょう。

five は基数
clear は物理的品質
purple は色
fractions 13-17 は主語

人々のほとんどは意識せずにこの順番を守っていますので、必ずしも上の規則通りにならないことも多いですが、1),2),11),12)が重要です。この順番を間違えると違和感が強くなります。

[練習問題] 次の形容詞を正しい順序に並べてください。
3. two, difficult, following, reactions, oxidation
4. synthetic, both, derivatives, adamantane
5. contiguous, five, centers, chiral
6. p-acidic, enhanced, center, low-valent, metal
7. Lewis acids, most common, for this reaction, three

[答]
3. following 序数 two 基数difficult 意見oxidation 所属(種類)reactions主語
4. both 序数synthetic 物理的品質adamantane 所属derivatives 主語
5. five 基数contiguous 物理的品質chiral 所属centers 主語
6. enhanced 意見p-acidic 物理的品質low-valent 所属metal 種類center 主語
7. three 基数most common 意見Lewis acids 主語for this reaction 目的

これから論文を読むときに、形容詞の順番を意識すると、自然に身につくかもしれません。

次回は形容詞についてのミニクイズです。

Adjectives 6: adjective order

Let us look at the example below.

1. The purple, clear, 13-17, five fractions were combined and concentrated.

Did you notice the order of the adjectives? Actually, in English any number of adjectives can be strung together, but the order is fixed. Most people from English-speaking regions unconsciously follow this order. If example 1 were rewritten by someone from an English-speaking country, it would probably result in the following.

2. The five, clear, purple fractions 13-17 were combined and concentrated.

First, let us check the rules.

1) Ordinal numbers or ordinal adjectives are always placed first. 2) Cardinal numbers 3) Opinions, thoughts, evaluations 4) Size 5) Physical characteristics 6) Age 7) Shape 8) Color 9) Subgroup or origin 10) Material 11) Group 12) Purpose appears last. It can at times appear after the subject. Note: There are often exceptions.

Numbers are placed first, followed by subjective adjectives, and finally objective adjectives. With these rules, let us look at example 2.

Five is a cardinal number.
Clear is a physical characteristic.
Purple is a color.
Fractions 13-17 are the subject.

People follow these rules unconsciously and thus, the above rules are not always strictly followed, however, 1), 2), 11), and 12) are quite important. If the order of these is mistaken, it will seem awkward.

Practice problems: place the following adjectives in the correct order.
3. two, difficult, following, reactions, oxidation
4. synthetic, both, derivatives, adamantane
5. contiguous, five, centers, chiral
6. p-acidic, enhanced, center, low-valent, metal
7. Lewis acids, most common, for this reaction, three

Answers
3. following (order) two (number) difficult (opinion) oxidation (subgroup/type) reactions (subject)
4. both (order) synthetic (physical characteristic) adamantane (subgroup/type) derivative (subject)
5. five (number) contiguous (physical characteristic) chiral (subgroup/type) centers (subject)
6. enhanced (opinion) p-acidic (physical characteristic) low-valent (subgroup/type) metal (type) center (subject)
7. three (number) most common (opinion) Lewis acids (subject) for this reaction (purpose)

When you read a paper from now on, if you pay attention to the order of the adjectives, you will likely learn this spontaneously.

At next time, we will post Pop Quiz about Adjective.