１５．中学校英語教科書の英語の質
法政大学から明海大学（前身：城塞歯科大学）に移籍して、私が特に親しい同僚
となったLeo G. Perkins教授（のちに名誉教授・故人）は、長年、文部省（現・文部科学省）英語教科書調査顧問だったアメリカ人で、我が国の英語教育に多大な貢献を為した人物だ。明海大学浦安キャンパスが開校して間もない頃（１９８８年初夏の頃）そのPerkins教授から、A4用紙に印刷されたある中学校英語教科書の一部を見せられ、「この英文には日本人英語、英語らしくない英語など、いろいろな問題が含まれているが、あなたには理解できるか」と言われた。その英文は「白表紙（しろびょうし）」の原本の写しだった（「白表紙」とは、文部科学省の検定を受けるために特別に作られた教科書原本の俗称で、発行者名・著者名など、内容以外のものは一切記されていない）。私自身、6年間ほど文部省社会通信教育教材審査員および文部省教科用図書検定審議会調査員として、社会通信教育教材や中学・高校用教科書の審査にも当たった経験を持つから、Perkins教授が私に要求するものが何であるかはすぐにわかった。だが、私は、冷静に読んで判断したいので来週までの1週間、時間がほしいと答えて、それを宿題にしてもらった。以下に示す英文がその中学校英語教科書の一部だ。括弧内の数字とそれに続く下線は、私が「この箇所に問題あり」と考えた箇所を示すための便宜的なもの。
In 1920, an Indian priest and his wife (1) discovered two strange animals. They were young girls
brought up by wolves. One was about eight years old and the other about
one and a half. The
priest and his wife named the girls Anala and Kamala.They (2) would not wear (3) any clothes. They
(4) would not eat (5) any vegetables.
(6) Though they (7) could not stand upright the girls could move (8) along on all fours (9) at surprising
speed. They slept (10) through most of the day, but liked to walk about at night.
(11) Little by little the wolf-girls (12) came to accept the kindness of the priest and his wife.
(13) Then, (14) after almost a year Anala, the younger child, died.
Kamala (15) wept. This was the first time she had (16) ever shown (17) any human feelings. For weeks,
Kamala (18) would not leave (19) the place where Anala had sat and slept.
After a while, Kamala (20) began to take a greater interest in other children. She learned to drink
(21) out of a cup. She (22) even (23) mastered (24) some 40 words and (25) began to wear clothes.
(26) Then she learned to walk (27) upright, but when she wanted to run she moved along on all fours.
After nine years in (28) human society, Kamala (29) had become a loveable child. (30) But, in 1929, she
died, (31) too. (32) The reason for the wolf-girls's death was explained as follows:
They were too weak to live long. (34) It was very difficult to make them eat anyting but meat and milk.
(1) discovered →found
(2) would not→wouldn't
(3) any→不要
(4) would not→wouldn't
(5) any→不要
(6) Though →Although
(7) could not→couldn't
(8) along→不要
(9) at surprising speed→(very) fast
(10) through→不要
(11) Little by little→Gradually
(12) came to accept the kindness of the priest and his wife→accepted the
priest and his wife's hospitality
(13) Then→不要
(14) after almost a year→in about a year
(15) wept→cried
(16) ever→不要
(17) any human feelings→emotion
(18) would not→wouldn't
(19) the place→不要
(20) began to take a greater interest in→showed more interest in
(21) out of→from
(22) even→不要
(23) mastered→learned
(24) some→about
(25) began to wear→started wearing
(26) Then→不要
(27) upright→不要
(28) human →不要
(29) had become→was
(30) But→要書き換え Kamala was a loveable child when she died in 1922...
(31) too→不要
(32) The reason for→要書き換え The wolf-girls died young because they were too
weak.
(34) It was very difficult to...→要書き換え They woud eat only meat and milk.
以上の私の指摘に対して、Perkins教授が示した書き換え文 (rewrite)は以下のとおり。さすがに“名文家”として知られる教授の書き換えだと感心させられた。
In 1920, an Indian priest and his wife found two young girls raised by wolves. One girl was about eight,
and the other about one and half.
The priest and his wife named the girls Anala and Kamala. The girls wouldn't
wear clothes or eat vegetables.
The girls couldn't stand, but could run fast on all fours. They slept most of the day, but roamed around at night.
The wolf-girls gradually accpted the priest and his wife's hospitality. In about a year, Anala, the young child, died.
Kamala cried. This was the first time she had shown emotion. For several weeks, Kamala wouldn't leave the place
Anala had sat and slept.
Later, Kamala showed more interest in other children. She learned to drrink
from a cup. She (even) learned
40 words and started wearing clothes. She learned to walk, but run on all fours. Kamala was a loveable child
when she died in 1929, after nine years in society. The wolf-girls died young because they were too weak.
They would eat only meat and milk.