間違いやすい用語や表現 – against

前置詞「against」は日本人学者によって過度に使用され、最もよく誤用される語の一つです。誤用の原因として、「against」が「に対して」の誤訳になっていることが多いと思われます。実は、「に対して」が「against」に対応する場合もありますが、「against」が訳語として全く不適切とされる場合が多いです。

以下は「against」の典型的な誤用を示します。
[誤] (1) These are “slowly” varying effects, against the previously described “rapidly”
[誤] (1) varying effects.
[正] (1) These are “slowly” varying effects, as opposed to the previously described
[正] (1) “rapidly” varying effects.
[正] (1’) These are “slowly” varying effects, which should be compared to the
[正] (1’) previously described “rapidly” varying effects.
[正] (1’’) These are “slowly” varying effects, which differ significantly from the
[正] (1’’) previously described “rapidly” varying effects.
[正] (1’’’) These effects are slowly varying in comparison with the previously
[正] (1’’’) described effects.
[誤] (2) This behavior is stable against thermal fluctuations.
[正] (2) This behavior is stable with respect to thermal fluctuations.
[誤] (3) When considered against the full treatment, the present treatment may
[誤] (3) seem quite inadequate.
[正] (3) When considered in comparison with the full treatment, the present
[正] (3) treatment may seem quite inadequate.
[誤] (4) Jones et al. expressed strong criticism against this approach.
[正] (4) Jones et al. expressed strong criticism of this approach.