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

Pg. 188

ノーベルの めざしだ、《爆薬を いい ことに 使いたい》と言う 願いが これで かなうかのように 見えました。

Nobel’s said aim was " i want to use explosives for good" and it seemed that wish came true.

ところが…ふたたび 戦争が 始まると、ゆめは むざんにも うちくだかれたのです。

Even so… War once again began and his dream was destroyed.

ダイナマイトは、戦争で 人を 殺す ぶきとしても つかわれはじめたのでした。

In war, dynamite also began to be used as a weapon for killing people.

「平和の 願いは かなわないのかーーー」

“Is my dream ruined?”

ノーベルの 心は 深く きずつき、年を 取ってからも なやみつづけました。

Nobel’s heart was deeply wounded and as he grew older he continued to be troubled.

そしてーーー 亡くなる 前に、 一通の 手紙を 残しました。

Finally… Before dying, one letter remained.

Pg. 189

『私が 発明で えた 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 every year with my invention to a person who has worked for the sake of peace.

賞を 作り、賞金として さしあげてください。』

Make a prize and please give them the prize."

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 たくしたのです。

Nobel entrusted his wish for the future.

終わり。

End.

1 Like

189:
そしてーーなくなる 前に、一通の 手紙を のこしました。

And finally, before dying, one letter was left.

「私が 発明で えた 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 acquired with my invention, every year, to a person who 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 give an award as a monetary prize.

そうして「ノーベル賞」は 生まれました。

Thus birthed the “Nobel Prize”.

ノーベルは みらいに 願いを 託したのです。

So it is that Nobel trusted his wish to the future.

(おわり)

fin

1 Like

As we have finished our book now, I will go on with a (slightly) less scientific book on miracles happening to hamsters in Strasbourg in the Christmas season.

6 Likes

The main verb in this sentence is the active transitive verb 残しました(のこしました)meaning:

‘(he) left (something), (he) bequeathed (something), (he) left (something) behind’

and not an intransitive verb (or a passive verb) as suggested by the translation
‘(a letter) was left, (a letter) remained (to be written)’

Note the difference between the transitive and intransitive verbs 残す and 残る:

残しました(のこしました)
is the polite past form of the verb
残す(のこす)
which is a transitive verb (i.e., a verb with an object) meaning

‘to leave (something) behind, to bequeath (something)’

the ‘something’ in this case being ‘one letter’,
as indicated by the object particle を after 一通の手紙(いっつうのてがみ).

This is not the same as
残る(のこる)
which is an intransitive verb (i.e., a verb without an object) meaning

‘to be left behind, to remain, to be left over’

for which the polite past form would be
残りました(のこりました)

although this is more often seen in the -te form + いる as
残っていました(のこっていました)
where the subject of the sentence might be leftovers after a meal, or a task remaining to be done, etc., followed by the subject particle が.

Putting the pieces together:
なくなる 前に(まえに) before dying
一通(いっつう)の 手紙(てがみ)one letter
[object particle]
残しました(のこしました) (he) left, (he) bequeathed, (he) left behind

giving the meaning:

Before dying, he bequeathed one letter.

Before his death, he left behind one letter.

6 Likes

Congratulations on anyone that made it this far! It seemed like it got a little quieter as the months went on but I really appreciated being able to see other peoples translations to compare. On to the next!

11 Likes

Working late tomorrow but I will be putting up a thread for wrapping up and final comments as well as a poll to click to say you’ve finished the book!

I’ll also put up a thread for anyone who wants to finish off the additional spreads that we didn’t finish from the start of the book.

10 Likes

Ok, last two threads are up:

Additional spreads: Link
Wrap Up & Final Comments: Link

2 Likes

I’m going to try to read the additional spreads but I’ve not managed the last 3-4 pages due to exhaustion from my drive! So may translate but not post.

2 Likes

Today is finally the day! :cry:

I am so glad we’ve all made it this far, what an awesome group! Thank you especially to those who posted their interpretations and translations daily, they were invaluable. :+1:

I hope to see everyone in the next book club (my books just arrived today!) :smile:

6 Likes