What's new

その多くは ... / 飛行機に載せる荷物は ...

eeky

先輩
8 Jun 2010
2,431
22
48
Hi,

1. The author, a Japanese student visiting America, is talking about how he encountered some unfamiliar English words/expressions from his American classmates:

その多くは、日常生活やテレビなどで頻繁に使われるものだったから、辞書を引くよりは、「この言葉は、こんな風に使うのかー」と文脈から判断しながら、徐々にそれらを自分のものにしていった気がする。

Several things I don't understand about this sentence:

a) その多く is presumably referring to the words/expressions mentioned previously, but how does その grammatically combine with 多く? Does it mean "Many of these words (were frequently used ... etc.)", or does it mean more like "There were many such words (and they were frequently used ... etc.)"?

b) What is the purpose of より? Is it saying that the words were encountered in daily life etc. rather than by looking in a dictionary?

c) I'm not certain of the overall sense of 「この言葉は、こんな風に使うのかー」. Is it asking "Can this word be used in this way"? Also, what is the meaning of the character "ー" here?

d) I'm very unsure about 自分のものにしていった気がする. Does it mean (literally) something like "came to feel that (these words) were my own" (i.e. he could use them confidently)? What verb is いった?


2. 飛行機に載せる荷物は、20キロに制限されています。

Translation given: "The luggage of air passengers is restricted to 20 kilos."

This is typical of a bunch of examples where I'm unclear about the choice between passive and active (in this case with respect to the verb 載せる, not 制限されています which seems clear-cut).

In 飛行機に載せる荷物, do we assume an unstated subject like "one", as in "luggage which one loads onto an aircraft"? Would it be equally possible to write 飛行機に載せられる荷物, corresponding to the English "luggage which is loaded onto an aircraft"?
 
1. The author, a Japanese student visiting America, is talking about how he encountered some unfamiliar English words/expressions from his American classmates:
その多くは、日常生活やテレビなどで頻繁に使われるも のだったから、辞書を引くよりは、「この言葉は、こん な風に使うのかー」と文脈から判断しながら、徐々にそれらを自分のもの にしていった気がする。
Several things I don't understand about this sentence:
a) その多く is presumably referring to the words/expressions mentioned previously, but how does その grammatically combine with 多く? Does it mean "Many of these words (were frequently used ... etc.)", or does it mean more like "There were many such words (and they were frequently used ... etc.)"?
It's the former. The -ku form of some i-adjectives can be used as a noun, meaning 多くのもの/大部分 in this case, just like the -masu stem of verbs.

b) What is the purpose of より? Is it saying that the words were encountered in daily life etc. rather than by looking in a dictionary?
Yes.

c) I'm not certain of the overall sense of 「この言葉は、こんな風に使うのかー」. Is it asking "Can this word be used in this way"?
he sentence final か is used for "internal argument" here. "Ah, I see. This word can be used in this way."

Also, what is the meaning of the character "ー" here?
かー = かあ. It expresses a kind of exclamation.

d) I'm very unsure about 自分のものにしていった気がする. Does it mean (literally) something like "came to feel that (these words) were my own" (i.e. he could use them confidently)?
It's more likely "feel that these words became my own".

What verb is いった?
いく(~ていく)

2. 飛行機に載せる荷物は、20キロに制限されています。
Translation given: "The luggage of air passengers is restricted to 20 kilos."
This is typical of a bunch of examples where I'm unclear about the choice between passive and active (in this case with respect to the verb 載せる, not 制限されています which seems clear-cut).
In 飛行機に載せる荷物, do we assume an unstated subject like "one", as in "luggage which one loads onto an aircraft"?
Yes.

Would it be equally possible to write 飛行機に載せられる荷物, corresponding to the English "luggage which is loaded onto an aircraft"?
No. 飛行機に載せられる荷物 would be interpreted as a potential form , i.e., "luggage which one can load onto an aircraft". Generally, it's not so common to use inanimate things as a subject in Japanese sentences compared to in English ones. Of course, 載せられた can be use as a passive, for instance in 飛行機に載せられた荷物は、アメリカまで運ばれた. This sentence sounds " translationese", though.
 
Back
Top Bottom