やさしい英語会話 (205) Time Traveling Troubles (1)

今月の「やさしい英語会話」は、オリジナルの物語"Time Traveling Troubles"を３回にわたってお届けします。



タイムマシンを発明した女性が、その試運転でタイムトラベルに出かけた先は、何と19世紀のテキサス州！お国なまりの保安官に銃を突きつけられたり、さっそく危ない目に遭いますが、果たしてこの女性の運命は…？



Image credit: bykst via Pixabay Public Domain CC0.



Download MP3



（17:13　10.4MB　初級～中級）*** It's a Good Expression ***

（今回の重要表現）



Now I can rule the world!

助動詞"can" は通常「キン」「クン」に近い弱形（weak form）で発音される。



take a test run

試運転を行う



potentially cause the destruction of the universe as we know it

私たちが知っている宇宙の終わりを引き起こす可能性がある

※potentially = maybe



Did it work?

タイムマシンが作動したかしら。



ya

youのくだけた形。アメリカ口語で使われる。



little lady

お嬢さん



yer

you are, you're

※通常、アメリカ口語ではyou areのように２語を分けて発音せず、you'reと短縮する。



I'm sheriff of this here town.

俺はここらの町の保安官よ。

※this hereはアメリカ南部の方言。



Great...

（皮肉を込めて）参ったな。最悪。



my good sir

あなたさま、（この場合は）保安官さま

※男性に対する最高に丁寧な呼びかけ



'bout

=about



yer

=your



somethin'

=something



Did ya bump yer head or somethin'?

あんた、頭かなんかぶつけたのかい。



something along those lines

そんなところです（something like that）



Darn.

まったくもう。（Too bad.）

※同じ意味でDamn.という表現が映画などでは使われるが、非常に強い表現なので注意が必要。



it don't matter

=it doesn't matter.

※３人称単数にdon'tを用いるのは、現在でもアフリカ系アメリカ人の英語（Ebonics）などで使われることがある。

The Beatlesの"Ticket to Ride"の歌詞"She's got a ticket to ride, but she don't care." は、John Lennonがブラック・ミュージックの雰囲気を出すために用いたと思われる。



the doc

=the doctor

※映画Back to the Futureでおなじみの語だが、もともとは医者の先生を指すくだけた表現。





*** Script ***

(Slow speed) 02:30-04:55

(Natural speed) 15:15-17:20



Time Traveling Troubles (1)



W: Hey, I've finally done it! I've built a fully-functioning time machine! Hahahaha! Now I can rule the world! But first, let's take a test run. Hmm… let's see… Yesterday around 2 in the afternoon should be good. I was at lunch then, so I shouldn't run into myself and potentially cause the destruction of the universe as we know it! OK. So, I just put the watch on, and turn this dial, and press this button…



(Time traveling noises)



W: Did I do it? Did it work!? Wait this doesn't look my laboratory.



M: (With cowboy accent) Hey, can I help ya there, little lady?



W: What! Who… Who are you? Where am I?



M: Well, yer in the fine state of Texas! And I'm sheriff of this here town.



W: Great… just where I always wanted to go, Texas (sigh).



M: Excuse me, Miss. Were ya just disrespecting our great state? (pulls out six-shooter and cocks the gun)



W: No, no, no. Of course not, my good sir! Um… Can you tell me what year it is?



M: Well, it's 1865 and has been for 'bout five months. Um… are ya doing OK there, little lady? Did ya bump yer head or somethin'?



W: Yes, yes, something along those lines… Darn, I really thought I had it this time, though I guess I did travel back in time, just not where or when I had thought. Man, how am I going to get back home?



M: Hey, why ya wearin' such strange clothes?



W: Oh… I…



M: Well, it don't matter. Come on and get up on this here horse, and I'll take ya back to town and we can have the doc take a look at ya.



W: Get on the horse?



M: Yes, ma'am.



(Written by Matthew Bola)