すっかり寒くなりました、コートやダウンを着ている人が当たり前になる今日このごろ、アメリカやヨーロッパとメールのやり取りをする方は、ニューヨーク、ロンドン、ボストンと寒さ自慢の挨拶がまじりだす季節ですね。寒いという状態ひとつとっても、多様な表現方法があります。代表的なものを紹介します。
Cold＝寒い
寒さを表すもっとも一般的な表現はtoday is cold.とcoldを使います。Coldだけでも、
so cold,
super cold,
really cold
など表現を変えて寒さのレベルを変えることができますが、天気は毎日のように使うトピックですから、いろいろな表現の仕方を覚えておきたいですね。
寒さを表現する語彙を増やす
寒さを表す表現はたくさんありますが、よく使われるのは５つです。
Chilly
Frigid
Frosty
Freezing
Colder than a …
どれも寒さを表していますが、Chillyはほぼcoldと同じレベルなど地域によってもレベル感は違いますが、寒さのレベルがかわります。それぞれの単語が代表する背景が寒さのレベルとつながっていると考えればいいようです。
Chilly：coldと同じレベル
Frigid：冷凍庫並に寒い、very cold
Frosty：有名な雪だるまの歌があります、雪が降って寒いイメージ
Freezing：とにかく寒い、super coldのようですが、人によって基準が違うようです
おもしろいのはColder than a …という表現です。…のところにはいろいろな単語が入ります。ナルニア国のようにおとぎ話を使った表現もあれば、僕の心や死など詩的なもの、さらに下品なものまでバラエティがたくさんあります。
It’s colder than the chronicles of Narnia.
It’s colder than a polar bear’s testicles.
It’s colder than a brass toilet seat.
It’s colder than my heart.
It’s colder than death.
It’s colder than the hinges of hell.
It’s colder than jack frost’s balls.
It’s colder than witches’ tit.
It’s colder than a brass bra.
It was so cold the mice were playing hockey in the toilet bowl.
英語のボキャブラリーを増やすのはこういった広がりのある表現を調べましょう。楽しみながら語彙数や表現の幅を増やすことができます。
さらに、時間があれば興味があることにジョークとつけて検索すると、アメリカンなジョークがネット上にたくさんあります。こういうジョークを読んでいくのも、記憶に残りやすいボキャブラリーの増やし方です。たとえば、cold weather jokeと検索すると、たくさんアメリカンなジョークがでてきます。
It was colder than…を使ったジョークもあります、例えば
It was so cold we thought Grandpa had grown a beard, but it turned out to be just an icicle of frozen drool.
It was so cold kids were telling the most outrageous lies just hoping their pants would catch on fire.
It was so cold we couldn’t go outside for weeks at a time, and we were hoping that cabin fever would raise our body temperature.
It was so cold Scotsmen started wearing pants.
It was so cold that when I tried to take the garbage out, it didn’t want to go.
It was so cold my car wouldn’t run and my nose wouldn’t stop.
It was so cold the flame froze on the candle, so I threw it outside. When it thawed out in the spring, it started a forest fire.
他にも極寒で有名なミネソタをdisるジョーク
“Cold” is a relative term. Use the handy list below to overcome the confusion. Degrees (Fahrenheit)
75 above zero Aussies put on sweaters (if they can find one in their wardrobe)
(technically, they call it a jumper, which explains why they can’t find a “sweater”)
65 above zero: Floridians turn on the heat. Minnesotans plant gardens. Hawaiians declare a two-blanket night
60 above zero Californians put on sweaters (if they can find one)
50 above zero: Californians and Vancouerites shiver uncontrollably. People are sunbathing in Duluth. You can see your breath
40 above zero: Minnesotans drive with the sunroof open. Italian cars don’t start. Vermont residents go to outdoor concerts. Minnesotans go swimming
32 above zero: Distilled water freezes. The water in Bemidji gets thicker.
25 above zero: Ohio water freezes. Californians weep pitiably. Minnesotans eat ice cream. Canadians go swimming
20 above zero: New Mexicans don long johns, parkas and wool hats & mittens. Minnesotans throw on a flannel shirt. Maritimers put on T-shirts. Politicians begin to talk about the homeless. British cars don’t start. New York City water freezes. Miami residents plan vacation further South
15 above zero: New York landlords finally turn on the heat. People in Minnesota have one last cookout before it gets cold. Toronto water freezes. Vancouverites weep pitiably. Manitobans eat ice cream on the patio. Maritimers go swimming.
10 above zero: You need jumper cables to get the car going
5 above zero: You can hear your breath. Politicians begin to talk about the homeless. Montreal water freezes
Zero: Miami residents cease to exist. Minnesotans close the windows. Alaskans put on T-shirts.
4 below zero: French cars don’t start. You plan a vacation in Mexico. Cat insists on sleeping in your bed with you.
10 below zero: Californians fly away to Mexico. Minnesotans dig their winter coats out of storage. Too cold to ski. Manitobans do up the top button. German cars don’t start. Eyes freeze shut when you blink.
15 below zero: You can cut your breath and use it to build an igloo. Arkansans stick tongue on metal objects.
20 below zero: Cat insists on sleeping in your pyjamas with you. Politicians actually do something about the homeless. Minnesotans shovel snow off roof. Japanese cars don’t start
25 below zero: Hollywood disintegrates. Girl Scouts in Minnesota still selling cookies door to door. American cars don’t start. Yukoners put on T-shirts. Too cold to skate.
30 below zero: German cars don’t start. Swedish cars don’t start
40 below zero: Washington, D.C. finally runs out of hot air. People in Minnesota let their dogs sleep indoors. Ottawans shovel snow off roof. Canadians put on sweaters. Your car helps you plan your trip South
50 below zero Too cold to think. You need jumper cables to get the driver going. Congressional hot air freezes. Alaskans close the bathroom window
60 below zero: You plan a two week hot bath (if you could only thaw the water). The St Lawrence freezes over.
70 below zero: Vancouverites disappear. Maritimers put on sweaters. Other Canadians put on overcoats. Your car helps you plan your trip South, but won’t start
80 below zero: Yukoners close the bathroom window. Hell freezes over. Polar bears move South. Viking Fans order hot cocoa at the game
90 below zero: Lawyers put their hands in their own pockets
100 below zero: Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Minnesotans get upset because the Mini-Van won’t start.
460 below zero: ALL atomic motion stops (absolute zero on the Kelvin scale). People in Minnesota can be heard to say, “Cold ’nuff fer ya?”
500 below zero: Hell freezes over. Minnesota public schools open 2 hours late
多様な表現を文化的な背景と一緒にインプット
この手のジョークを楽しめるかどうかは、皆さんの笑いのツボによります・・アメリカンなジョークはよくわからんという人も多いですから。
ただ、ジョークには地域差や文化の違いなどが盛り込まれています。こういう文化的な側面をしると表現の幅も広がります。たまにジョークも検索してみてください、数珠つなぎのようにボキャブラリーや表現が増えていきますから。