なぜ?どうして?科学お話 - Section 5 Discussion Thread

p. 184
そこでーー ノーベルはお父さんにアイデアを出しました。

So… Nobel gave his father an idea.

「爆薬をもっといいことに使えないかな。

"I wonder if explosives can’t be used for better things.

道路や鉄道を作るとき、トンネルを掘ったり、大きな石を砕くのに、爆薬が使えるんじゃない?」

When building roads and railroad lines, couldn’t explosives used to dig tunnels and smash big stones?"

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I was picking up physical copies of レンタルおにいちゃん for the next book club and decided to get なぜ?どうして?科学のお話3年生 as well. I also picked up a 2年生 book of biographies so hopefully that’ll help with withdrawal from this book. I need some weird science stories.

184:
そこでーー ノーベルはお父さんにアイデアを出しました。

Then… Nobel showed his father an idea.

「爆薬をもっといいことに使えないかな。

I wonder if even more good opportunities couldn’t use explosives…

道路や鉄道を作るとき、トンネルを掘ったり、大きな石を砕くのに、爆薬が使えるんじゃない?」

When building roads and railways, in order to smash big rocks, why not use explosives?

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Pg. 185
こうして ノーベルは、お父さんの 仕事を 手伝ううちに、爆薬を 研究するように なったのです。

In this, Nobel researched explosives in order to help with his dad’s work.

その頃の 爆薬は、「ニトログリセリン」という 液体から できており、少し ゆれただけで
すぐ ばくはつしてしまう おそれが ありました。

The explosives at that time were from a liquid called “nitroglycerin” which would immediately explode if shaken a little, which people were afraid of.

ノーベルの 工場で 爆発が 起きました。

Explosions occurred in Nobel’s lab.

工場の 中には、弟の エミールが!

His little brother Emil is in the factory!

...エミールは 爆薬の ぎせいに なってしまったのです。

Emile became a victim of the explosives…

P185

こうして ノーベルは、お父さんの しごとを 手つだううちに、ばくやくを けんきゅうするように なったのです。

Thus Nobel, to help in his father’s work at home, did research into explosives.

I don’t think I’ve quite got this one?

そのころの ばくやくは、「ニトログリセリン」という 液体から できており、少し ゆれただけで すぐ ばくはつしてしまう おそれが ありました。

Explosives at that time, made from the dregs of a liquid called “nitroglycerin”, there was a fear that just by being shaken a little it could cause an explosion.

Again here I wasn’t sure of the おり at the end of the clause, so kind of guessed!

ノーベルは 心配していましたが、ある日ーー。

Nobel was worried, then one day…

ノーベルの 工場で ばくはつが おきました。

In Nobel’s factory an explosion took place.

工場の 中には、弟の エミールが!

In the factory was his younger brother Emile!

…エミールは ばくやくの ぎせいに なってしまったのです。

…Emile had become a victim of the explosives.

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p. 185
こうしてノーベルは、お父さんの仕事を手伝ううちに、爆薬を研究するようになったのです。

Thus Nobel assisted his father in his work and came to do research on explosives.

そのころの爆薬は、「ニトログリセリン」という液体からできており、少し揺れただけですぐ爆発してしまう恐れがありました。

In those times, explosives were made of a liquid called “nitroglycerin” which risked to explode at once at just a little shake.

ノーベルは心配していましたが、ある日ーー。

Nobel was worried, but one day …

ノーベルの工場で爆発が起きました。

An explosion occurred at the Nobel factory.

工場の中には、弟のエミールが!。。。エミールは爆薬の犠牲になってしまったのです。

His brother Emil was in the factory! … Emil fell victim to the explosive.

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I read this うち as the meaning: while (e.g. one is young); during; within (e.g. a day); in the course of​. I think @2000kanji’s translation is about right for this sentence.

I also puzzled about the おり. My best guess was that it is the stem form of おる, which can be used like いる after the て form of a verb to mean - to be …-ing.

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I relied on ichi.moe:
おり
[indicates continuing action (to be …ing) (humble)]
[v5r] Continuative (~i)

居る 【おる】
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What I didn’t get is why they used おる rather than いる. It can be used in this way in certain dialects but I can’t see that is relevant in this type of prose. It can be used as a humbler form of いる but I didn’t really see that as being the reason in context. Maybe it’s because it’s being used in stem form - if いる has a stem form I guess it would be い which maybe doesn’t sound right in natural Japanese?

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I had to look this up myself, not so long back. From what I was able to find out, verb stems are often used instead of て-forms for joining sequential actions in written form. So in this case, います would just become い, so おり(ます) is used instead. The use of おる in this case has nothing to do with humble language.

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Page. 186
「おお、エミールよ! お前の ためにも、兄さんは 安全な 爆薬を 作って 見せるぞ。」

“Oh Emil! For the sake of my brother, I will see that a safe explosive is made.”

悲しみの 中、ノーベルは ちかいました。

Nobel swore in his grief.

研究室に とじこもり、夜も ねないで 実験を くりかえす 日び。

He did not sleep and shut himself away every night and day in the laboratory to repeat experiments.

p. 186
「おお、エミールよ!お前のためにも、兄さんは安全な爆薬を作って見せるぞ。」

“Oh Emil! For your sake, your older brother will produce a safe explosive.”

Is みせる something in the line of “watch your older brother as he will produce ….”?

悲しみの中、ノーベルは誓いました。

Nobel swore in his grief.

研究室に閉じこもり、夜も寝ないで実験を繰り返す日々。

Day after day he secluded himself in his laboratory, repeating experiments without sleeping at night.

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Yes, we’ve seen that a lot in this book.

I found this reference from Tae Kim that confirms what you’ve said about おり being used rather than い when using いる as a verb stem for continuation. It also gives a couple of examples. Last two to three paragraphs of the article.

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There are two meanings of て form followed by みせる. Here it demonstrates a determination to carry out an action, like “I’ll show you!”.

Quoting from this reference:

~てみせる ( -te miseru ):

A -te form verb plus みせる ( miseru ) has at least two possible meanings. One directly draws on the literal meaning of 見せる ( miseru , to show), and refers to performing an action so that it will be seen, or putting it on display, sometimes purely for appearances.

  • 「大げさに驚いてみせた。」
    (Oogesa ni odoroite miseta.)
    “He put on an exaggerated show of being surprised.”

The other meaning uses perhaps a looser usage of “show” and indicates a determination to carry out an action. It has something of a sense of “I’ll show you!” This meaning is less likely to use the kanji.

  • (from Final Fantasy 6 )
    「守る!俺が守ってみせる!」
    (Mamoru! Ore ga mamotte miseru!)
    “I’ll protect you! I swear I’ll protect you!”
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p. 187
やがて、ついにーー。

Eventually, finally …

《そうだ!ニトログリセリンの水分を、土のような物に染み込ませて固くしたら、安全にもちはこべるはず。これはいけるぞ!》

“That’s it! When the liquid of nitroglycerin is soaked with a clay-like substance and hardened, it can be safely carried. This may work!”

『ダイナマイト』の誕生でした。

That was the birth of “dynamite”…

ダイナマイトは、今までの爆薬に比べ、パワーも強く、持ち運びも安全でした。

Dynamite, compared to previous explosives, was more powerful and safer to carry.

そのため世界中の国や会社に喜ばれ、大人気なりました。

Hence in countries and companies throughout the world, it was gratefully accepted and became very popular.

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Pg. 187 (2 more to go! :open_mouth:)
やがて、ついに―――。

Before long…

《そうだ! ニトグリセリンの 水分を、土のような ものに しみこませて かたく したら、安全に もちはこべるはず。これは いけるぞ!》

That’s it! If you take nitroglycerine’s liquid part and soak it into something solid like earth, you should be able to carry it safely. This can work! (?)

『ダイナマイト』の たんじょうでした。

Dynamite was created.

ダイナマイトは、今までの 爆薬に 比べ、パワーも 強く、 もちはこびも 安全でした。

Dynamite, compared to other explosives until then, was stronger in power and safer to carry.

そのため 世界中の 国や 会所に 喜ばれ、 大人気となりました。

Because of that it became popular with counties and companies worldwide.

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Translations of pgs. 185 - 187

185:
こうして ノーベルは、お父さんの 仕事を 手伝ううちに、爆薬を 研究するように なったのです。

Thus Nobel, while helping with his father’s work, was studying explosives.

そのころの 爆薬は、「ニトログリセリン」という 液体から できており、少し ゆれただけで すぐ 爆発してしまう おそれが、ありました。

In those days, explosives were made from a liquid called nitroglycerin, there was a fear that with just a little shake it would explode.

ノーベルは 心配していましたが、ある日ーー。

Nobel worried until one day…

ノーベルの 工場で 爆発が おきました。

An explosion occurred at Nobel’s factory.

工場の 中には、弟の エミールが !..

Among those at the factory, Nobel’s little brother Emil!

エミールは 爆薬の ぎせいに なってしまったのです。

Making Emil a victim of explosives.

186:
「おお、エミールよ!お前の ためにも、兄さんは 安全な 爆薬を 作って 見せるぞ。」

Oh no, Emil! For your sake, I will make and display a safe explosive.

悲しみの 中、ノーベルは ちかいました。

Filled with sadness, Nobel vowed.

研究室に とじこもり、夜も ねないで 実験を 繰り返す 日々。

Secluded in the laboratory at night without rest, he repeated experiments daily.

187:
やがて、ついにーー。

Until finally…

〈そうだ!ニトログリセリンの 水分を、土のような ものに しみこませて 固く したら、 安全に 持ち運べるはず。これは いけるぞ!〉

That’s it! If liquid nitroglycerin is soaked in dirt is hardens, safe to carry. This could be good!

「ダイナマイト」の 誕生でした。

Dynamite was created.

ダイナマイトは、今までの 爆薬に くらべ、パワーも 強く、持ち運びも 安全でした。

Dynamite was about as powerful as explosives until then, but much safer to carry.

そのため 世界中の 国や 会社に よろこばれ、大人気となりました。

Thus, countries and companies around the world were delighted, and it became popular.

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p. 188
ノーベルの目指した、《爆薬をいいことに使いたい》という願いがこれで叶うかのように見えました。

Nobel’s aim was “I want to use explosives for good things”, with this his desire seemed to come true.

ところが。。。。。。再び戦争が始まると、夢は無残にも打ち砕かれたのです。

However …… When war started once more, his dream was cruelly smashed again.

ダイナマイトは、戦争で人を殺す武器としても使われ始めたのでした。

In the war, dynamite began to be used also as a deadly weapon.

「平和への願いは叶わないのかーー」ノーベルの心は深く傷つき、年を撮ってからも悩み続けました。そしてーー

“Does my wish for peace not come true…?” Nobel’s heart was deeply hurt and he kept worrying as he grew older. Finally …

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188:
ノーベルの 目指した、〈爆薬を いいことに 使いたい〉という 願いが これで かなうかのように 見えました。

Nobel’s aim, to want to use explosives as a good thing, with this seemed to come true.

ところが…ふたたび 戦争が 始まると、夢は 無残にも 打ち砕かれたのです。

However, again with the start of war, his dream was cruelly smashed.

ダイナマイトは、戦争で 人を 殺す 武器としても 使われ始めたのでした。

In war, dynamite was again starting to be used as a weapon to kill men.

「平和への 願いは かなわないのかーー」

Will my wish of peace never come true?

ノーベルの 心は 深く 傷付き、年を 取ってからも 悩み続けました。

Nobel’s heart, even after taking years, would continue to be deeply troubled.

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年をとる is a fixed expression meaning “to grow old”

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p. 189
なくなる前に、一通の手紙を残しました。

Before dying one letter was left (to be written).

『私が発明で得たお金を、毎年平和のために働いた人に与えてください。

"Please give the money I earned for my invention every year to a person who has worked for the sake of peace.

賞を作り、賞金として差し上げてください』

Please create a prize and give it as a monetary award."

こうして「ノーベル賞」は生まれました。

Thus the “Nobel Prize” was born.

ノーベルは未来に願いを託したのです。

Nobel entrusted his wishes to the future.

(終わり)

(The End)

The wikipedia article on Alfred Nobel has an interesting story concerning the motivation for the prize creation:

In 1888, Alfred’s brother, Ludvig, died while visiting Cannes, and a French newspaper mistakenly published Alfred’s obituary.[4] It condemned him for his invention of military explosives (not, as is commonly quoted, dynamite, which was mainly used for civilian applications) and is said to have brought about his decision to leave a better legacy after his death.[4][16] The obituary stated, Le marchand de la mort est mort (“The merchant of death is dead”)[4] and went on to say, “Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday.”[17] Alfred (who never had a wife or children) was disappointed with what he read and concerned with how he would be remembered.[18]

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