続 今日の英語

はてなダイアリーで地味に続けていた「今日の英語」の続き。日常出会った気になる英語表現を、オンライン辞書の例文などとともにメモしています。

Helping me make a point.

(僕の主張が正しいのを証明する手伝いさ。)
 BBCドラマ「シャーロック」エピソード1 "A Study in Pink" より。事件現場でホームズに検死しろと求められるワトスン。警察のいる前で?専門家がいるのに何で僕が?といった表情のワトスンは、"What am I doing here?" とホームズに聞く。

  • "make a point"=「主張する、意見を言う、言いたいことを言う、主張・論点の正しさをわかってもらう、言い分を立証する」(to state an item of importance/to argue or promote an idea)という意味。イディオム的というよりも、「主張、意見、アイデア」を意味する point の用例。
    • You made a point that we all should remember.
    • He spoke for an hour without making a point.
    • I suppose the people who wrote that stuff on the wall were trying to make a point, but they mainly made a mess.
    • She made several interesting points in the article.
    • OK, you've made your point!
    • You made some interesting points in your speech.
    • I'd like to make one final point before I stop.
    • He made a very good point about the need for change.
    • Let me make one final point.
    • OK, you've made your point - there's no need to go on about it.
  • 「あなたの意見、主張はわかった」(=I understand your idea or opinion/I understand and accept what you are saying))と言う時は "take your point" や "point taken" のように、take を使う。"see your point" もね。 I see your point っていうのは実際自分もよく使う。
    • Point taken. I'll do what I can.
    • I take your point.
    • I take your point about waiting until the spring.
    • OK, Sam, point taken.
    • I see your point, but I don't think everyone will agree.
    • I can see your point and in general I agree with you.
  • "make a point of doing"という形になると、「必ず〜する、努めて〜する、きまって〜する」というイディオムになって、ちょっと意味合いが変わるので注意。
    • I made a point of closing all the windows before leaving the house.
    • He made a point of spending Saturdays with his children.
    • I always make a point of being early.
    • She makes a point of keeping all her shopping receipts.


(DVDはリージョン違いなのでご注意を!)