Global English 18 ーsyntactic cueでand/orの範囲を明確にー

andやorといった等位接続詞は二つ以上の要素を結合するが、何と何を結合しているのかが不明な時がある。例えば、"average ages and salaries"という場合、"[average ages] and [salaries]"なのか、"average [ages] and [salaries] (= [average ages] and [average salaries])"なのかが不明だ。そこで、文意を明確にする方法を過去の投稿で紹介した。

今回は、「Global English 15 ー繰り返す名詞句を省略しないー - imakov’s blog」でやったsyntactic cueを意識して、文意を明確にする方法を紹介する。

前置詞を繰り返せ

[bad] The coordinates correspond to the top of the vertical slide bar and the left edge of the horizontal slide bar.
[good] The coordinates correspond to the top of the vertical slide bar and to the left edge of the horizontal slide bar.
- 前置詞toがsyntactic dueになっている。

[bad] DQCleanse enables you to standardize your data by building schemes from your data and applying those schemes to your data.
[good] DQCleanse enables you to standardize your data by building schemes from your data and by applying those schemes to your data.
- 前置詞byがsyntactic dueになっている。

to不定詞のtoを繰り返せ

[bad] You cannot use the DATASETS procedure to change the values of rows, change or delete columns, or change the type of length of variables.
[good] You cannot use the DATASETS procedure to change the values of rows, to change or delete columns, or to change the type of length of variables.
- toがsyntactic cuesになっていて、to不定詞が繰り返されていることがわかる。

thatを繰り返せ

[bad] Typically, the message indicates that a variable has been identified incorrectly or the raw data file contains some invalid data values.
[good] Typically, the message indicates that a variable has been identified incorrectly or that the raw data file contains some invalid data values.
- thatがsyntactic cueになっていて、名詞節が繰り返されていることがわかる。

be動詞を繰り返せ

[bad] Because the expression produces a numeric value, TOTAL is defined as a numeric variable and assigned a default length of 8.
[good] Because the expression produces a numeric value, TOTAL is defined as a numeric variable and is assigned a default length of 8.

助動詞を繰り返せ

[bad] Character values must be enclosed in quotation marks and be in the same case as in the data set.
[good] Character values must be enclosed in quotation marks and must be in the same case as in the data set.

従属接続詞を繰り返せ

[bad] Position the statement in the program so that it checks the condition as soon as it is logically possible and unnecessary statements do not execute.
[good] Position the statement in the program so that it checks the condition as soon as it is logically possible, and so that unnecessary statements do not execute.

[bad] If a single lookup might take several seconds and many clients might request service simultaneously, then the server must be able to handle multiple clients concurrently.
[good] If a single lookup might take several seconds, and if many clients might request service simultaneously, then the server must be able to handle multiple clients concurrently.

番外編

[bad] Do not dip your bread or roll in your soup.
- 【解釈１】Do not [dip your bread] or [roll in your soup].
- 【解釈２】Do not dip [your bread] or [roll] in your soup.
- 解釈１ではおかしな意味（スープの中で転がるな！？）になるので、解釈２が正しいとわかるが、「解釈１とも取れるけどそれはありえないな」と読者に一瞬でも考えさせることがよくない。
[good] Do not dip your bread or your roll in your soup.
- yourがsyntactic cueとなって文意が明確になっている。

パラレリズム

ちなみにsyntactic cueは、下の投稿でも紹介したパラレリズムと共通している。

imakov.hatenablog.com