ここにある動詞を全部イメージあるいは擬音語で覚えれば英語のペーパーバックを読むのが少しは楽になる…かもしれない、ハーレクインは無理だけど。
洋書の棚を設けている書店は非常に少ない。しかし絵本の棚はほとんどの本屋にある。洋書ファンにとってそこは穴場である。先日見つけたのが "The Powerpuff Girls - Movie" (Scholastic Inc.) の古本。200円。絵本と一緒に並んでいたけど絵本ではない。漫画でもない。映画の小説化である。全94ページ。この薄さが気軽で良い。
Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup の3姉妹が鬼ごっこのような遊び (Tag! You're it!) をやっているうちにsuperpowerで町を破壊してしまう場面、巨大化した猿 'Mojo Jojo との対決場面など、この物語には格闘の描写が多い。つまり破壊、衝突、打撃、素早い動き、悲鳴、歓喜を表す動詞が頻出する。驚くべきことにほとんどが1音節である。以下にざっとまとめた。
破壊、衝突、打撃など。
| 語 | 意味 | 用例 | 日本語の擬音語、擬態語 |
| tear | pull and separate by force leaving irregular edges | tear, tore, torn | Bubbles tore up the concrete of the playground | ベキベキッ、ビリッ |
| smash | break into pieces violently | defeat | Bubbles smashed through the wall of the school. | ガシャーン！（粉々になる、する） |
| crash | fall or hit violently | Bubbles crashed into the ground, creating a huge crater. | ガシャーン！ |
| blast | break up sth tough with explosives | → blow | Bubbles blasted out the roof of the school. | ドカーンッ！（爆風） |
| crumble | break into small pieces | The flying rocks smashed into nearby buildings, shattering windows and crumbling walls. | 木っ端微塵（こっぱみじん） |
| knock | hit with a short, hard blow | Then it knocked Big Billy in the head. | パチンッ |
| smack | hit with the open hand | the wave of concrete smacked into her and sent her into the air. | パーンッ（平手打ち） |
| sock | strike hard | Buttercup socked Rocko Socko right in the jaw. | ボカッ |
| tap | strike with a light short blow | ポンッ（軽い感じ） | |
| crush | break or spoil by pressure making sth flatter | Megabrained monkeys were storming after people, driving tanks, controlling robots, smashing walls and crushing cars. | ペシャンコ |
| squash | ≒ crush? | Mo' Mojo reached down and tried to squash the girls. | ペシャンコ |
| thrust | push forcefully and suddenly | thrust, thrust, thrust | The force of the tag thrust Bubbles backward. | グイッ |
| stun | shock or surprise greatly | Bubbles stood there for a moment, stunned. | グッ！ |
素早い移動など。
| zoom | go quickly with a loud noise | Blossom was zooming around the skyscraper. | グイーンッ |
| zip | move very quickly causing a slight sound | Buttercup zipped through the air. | ピュッ、シュッ |
| swoop | come down sharply to attack | Buttercup swooped around and socked him in the jaw. | ブーン |
| race | move very fast | compete | The professor raced up the stairs of his laboratory. | ダッ |
| streak | move very fast in a particular direction | Buttercup streaked through the school yard, setting portions of the ground on fire as she went. | サッ |
| screech to a halt | stop suddenly | Blossom, spotting her sister, screeched to a halt and turned around | キキーッ |
| gain on | get close to someone ahead | Bubbles was gaining on Blossom and Buttercup. | |
| ripple | move in small waves | She zoomed and dipped causing the street to ripple in a massive wave. | |
| dodge | avoid moving quickly (in a dishonest way) | As Blossom dodged cars, Buttercup zipped through the air | サッ |
| skid | slide sideways out of control | Bubbles skidded to a stop when she saw Blossom. | ズルッ |
| dip | drop slightly | put quickly into a liquid and take back | She zoomed and dipped causing the street to ripple in a massive wave. | ポトッ、ボトッ |
悲鳴、歓喜、笑いなど。
| squeal | make a very long high cry | 赤ん坊、豚など | |
| shriek | give a loud high shout when excited, frightened or in pain | The girls continued playing, shrieking with delight | ワーッ |
| screech | make an unplesant high sharp sound (esp. in terror or pain) | キーッ | |
| screak | ≒ screech? | キーッ | |
| scream | cry out in a loud, high voice when excited or frightened | the crowd began to scream and run. | キャーッ |
| call | say loudly | "I'm going to tag you guys now!" Bubbles called to her sisters. | オーイ |
| snarl | make a low angry sound | Buttercup snarled angrily and started to mutter. | ウー… |
| gasp | take a quick deep breath when surprised or frightened | "There they are!" the professor gasped. | ハッ |
| mutter | speak or say quietly and unclearly | Buttercup snarled angrily and started to mutter. | ブツブツ |
| giggle | laugh in a silly way | She giggled. "You're It!" | ウヒャヒャヒャ |
| tease | make jokes or laugh unkindly or playfully | "Ha-ha! You missed us!" Buttercup teased. | プギャー |
| sneer | smile or speak impolitely without respect for sth | Ace, their leader, sneered. "Did somebody get lost?" | ニヤニヤ |
意味は主としてLHLD (Longman Handy Learner's Dictionary of American English) を参考にした。擬音語と擬態語は自分の妄想なので精度は全く保証しない。
英英辞典ではなく英和辞典を参照すればこういうまとめ作業は容易だが、「英語を日本語に置き換える」愚挙は避けたい。そこで擬音語で理解しようと努めた。擬音語は「イメージ」あるいは「言語以前のもの」である。もともと zoom とか zip などは擬音語由来だからこの学習方法はあながち間違いではない。英米の赤ん坊だってイメージ（視覚、触覚など）で語彙を覚えるんだぜ。
泣き叫ぶ系統の動詞 squeal, shriek, screech, screak, scream は違いが実感できない。使い分けできない。いずれも頭文字が s なんだけど、ひょっとしてすべて擬音語由来？ これらについては後日更新するかもしれない。できれば誰かやってくれませんか？ 擬音語と一緒に。
似たようなことを考える人たちはやっぱりいるんだなぁ。
http://art2006salt.blog60.fc2.com/tb.php/1137-24fdc387
