Can't put me finger on what lies in store...But I feel what's to 'appen, all ' appened before...
(何が待ち受けているのかははっきりとは言えないけれど…何かが起こるのはわかってる…それはきっと、ずっと前にも起こったこと…)
映画「メリーポピンズ」冒頭、大道芸人のバートが、風が変わり、メリーポピンズが街にやってくるのを予言するようなひとことをつぶやくシーン。
- 以前英会話で配られたプリントを見ていたら、イディオムの紹介で "put one's finger on"=「はっきりとわかる、的確に指摘・説明する」(identify something exactly, find out)の補足に、通常否定文(can'tと一緒に)使われることが多い、と補足メモをとっていて、ああ、「メリーポピンズ」の歌詞でもそうだったなあ、と授業中も思ったのを思い出した。(※歌詞中、can't my finger onじゃなくてcan't put me finger になっているのはバートがコックニー(ロンドン下町)訛りという設定だから。…といってもバート役を演じたディック・ヴァン・ダイクのコックニーはひどすぎると悪評があるけれど。)
- プリントでの例文は "Janice put her finger on the source of the problem." で、このように肯定文で使われることはあまりない、との補足説明があった。ちなみにプリントワークでは、フォーマルな場では "Janice identified the source of the problem." という表現のほうが好ましい、という単語の置き換え。
- He cannot put his finger on what has gone wrong.
- There was something about the man that worried Wycliffe, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
- That is correct! You have certainly put your finger on the problem.
- When she mentioned money, she really put her finger on the problem.
- I know there's something wrong, but I can't put my finger on exactly what it is.
- I think you've just put your finger on the biggest problem facing the Conservative party in this election.
- There's something wrong with his story, but I can't put my finger on what it is.
- ちなみに "in store" もイディオムで「(物・事が)待ち受けて、起ころうとして」(coming in the future; about to happen/awaiting someone in the future)「〜に」と対象になる人が示される時は "in store for someone"。
- He did not yet know what lay in store for him.
- None of us knows what lies in store for us tomorrow.
- Some good lies in store for me, I think.
- There's a real treat in store for you this Christmas!
- As we left, I wondered what the future held in store.