CSJ Journals
[化学論文のための英語講座] 第58回：Crafty Idioms
(English version is here.)
今日は慣用句を幾つか紹介しましょう。まずは以下の文章を見て、下線部に誤りがあれば直してください。
1. In the meanwhile, much progress has been made.
2. Meantime, the ketone was reduced to a hydroxyl group.
3. Our laboratory notebooks are up to date.
4. To our knowledge, this transformation has not been reported up to date.
5. To date there have been several reports of a racemic synthesis.
[答]
1. 誤り。
「Meanwhile」は前置詞や冠詞を付けず、そのまま使います。正しくは以下のようになります。
Meanwhile, much progress has been made.
2. 誤り。
「meantime」は必ず前置詞と定冠詞「in the」を付けます。正しくは以下のようになります。
In the meantime, the ketone was reduced to a hydroxyl group.
3. 正しい。
「Up to date」は最新という意味です。「実験帳は最新です」とは、今までの試験の詳細や結果は全部入っていますという事です。
4. 誤り。
「Up to date」は最新で「to date」は今までにという意味があります。正しくは以下のようになります。
To our knowledge, this transformation has not been reported to date.
5. 正しい。
慣用句はなかなか繊細ですね。
次回は今までの内容を踏まえた間違え探しです。
Today we will introduce a few idioms. First, look at the following sentences, and if the underlined part is mistaken, please correct it.
1. In the meanwhile, much progress has been made.
2. Meantime, the ketone was reduced to a hydroxyl group.
3. Our laboratory notebooks are up to date.
4. To our knowledge, this transformation has not been reported up to date.
5. To date there have been several reports of a racemic synthesis.
Answers:
1. Mistake
Meanwhile is used as is without a preposition or article. The following is correct:
Meanwhile, much progress has been made.
2. Mistake
Meantime must be accompanied by the preposition and definite article in the. The following is correct:
In the meantime, the ketone was reduced to a hydroxyl group.
3. Correct
Up to date means current and complete at this time. That is to say, the details and results in our laboratory notebooks are complete and current at this time.
4. Mistake
Up to date means current and complete at this time, whereas to date means up to this time. The following is correct.
To our knowledge, this transformation has not been reported to date.
5. Correct
Idioms can certainly be delicate.
At next time, we will post a search for mistakes based on the content so far.