英語を勉強する目的とは ― by KAZUYA MUTO ／武藤一也 | 留学・海外生活 | The Japan Times ST オンライン

<table> <tr> <td colspan="9"><a href="/top.html"><h2>週刊ＳＴオンライン</h2></a></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="9"><p>英字新聞社ジャパンタイムズによる英語学習サイト。英語のニュース、英語教材、リスニング、英語の発音、ことわざ、などのコンテンツを無料で提供。</p></td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/english_news/english_news.htm"><h4>英語のニュース</h4></a></td> <td><a href="/entertainment/entertainment.htm"><h4>英語とエンタメ</h4></a></td> <td><a href="/pronunciation/pronunciation.htm"><h4>リスニング・発音</h4></a></td> <td><a href="/native_english/native_english.htm"><h4>ことわざ・フレーズ<h4></a></td> <td><a href="/writer/writer.htm"><h4>英語とお仕事</h4></a></td> <td><a href="/kids/kids.htm"><h4>クイズ・パズル</h4></a></td> <td><a href="/study_abroad/study_abroad.htm"><h4>留学・海外生活</h4></a></td> <td><a href="/stories/stories.htm"><h4>留学英語のものがたり</h4></a></td> <td><a href="/toeic/toeic.htm"><h4>会話・検定</h4></a></td> </tr></table> <ul><li><a href="/english_news/english_news.htm">英語のニュース</a><br /><ul> <li><a href="/english_news/news/news.htm">ニュース</a></li> <li><a href="/english_news/editorial/editorial.htm">社説</a></li> <li><a href="/english_news/essay/essay.htm">エッセー</a></li> <li><a href="/english_news/opinion/opinion.htm">オピニオン</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h2>このページはフレーム対応ブラウザ用に作成されています。下のリンクは非フレーム使用ページですのでそちらをご覧ください。</h1><br /> <h3><a href="sa20070105main.htm?print=noframe">この記事の脚注を吹き出しにして表示するページへ</a></h3><br /> <h2>この記事をプリントする</h2><br /> <h3><a href="sa20070105main.htm?print=english">英文をプリント</a></h3><br /> <h3><a href="sa20070105main.htm?print=japanese">脚注をプリント</a></h3><br /><br /><br /> <br /><hr size="1" noshade /> <br /><br /><h3>英語を勉強する目的とは</h3><br /> <p> 多くの人が英語学習の目的は流ちょうに話せるようになることだと考えています。喪倒産もかつてはそうでしたが、今では考え方が変わり、「ネイティブのように話すことが最終的な目標ではない」と言い切ります。アクセントがあったり、冠詞や文法を間違えたりしても、誰が気にするでもなく、世界が終わるわけでもありません。大切なのは「自分の意志を言う」「言いたいことを言う」ことなのです。 </p><br /> <br /> <h3>The ultimate goal</h3><br /> <p>Everyone who studies English <A HREF="#2">aims to</A> speak <A HREF="#3">fluently</A>. It's the ultimate goal, <A HREF="#4">there's nothing better</A>, <A HREF="#5">particularly</A> if you want to be a <A HREF="#6">translator</A> or an <A HREF="#7">interpreter</A>. At least, that's what I used to think until I came to Australia. Now I'<A HREF="#8">m of a very different view</A>. I don't think speaking like a native speaker is the ultimate goal.<P> <A HREF="#9">Frankly</A>, I don't think you need to. <A HREF="#10">Who cares</A> if you have a strong Japanese accent or you use "a" <A HREF="#11">instead of</A> "the" or make other <A HREF="#12">grammatical</A> <A HREF="#13">faux pas</A>? There's no reason why you have to <A HREF="#14">feel embarrassed</A> (in many cases people can find an accent or an unusual choice of words <A HREF="#15">endearing</A>) and it's certainly not the end of the world.<P> I think what's most important is <A HREF="#16">getting your meaning across</A>. It's what you say, not how you say it. <A HREF="#17">Content</A> (and <A HREF="#18">confidence</A>) is all. <A HREF="#19">Express your opinion</A>, say what you want to say. I <A HREF="#20">guarantee you that</A> your <A HREF="#21">listener</A> will <A HREF="#22">appreciate</A> it.<P> <A HREF="#23">Looking back</A>, I think I <A HREF="#24">learned to</A> <A HREF="#25">hold my own</A> in a discussion. I learned to through <A HREF="#26">experience</A>. When I tried to say something in class (<A HREF="#27">even if</A> it was something that everyone knew already), the other students would listen to me even though I spoke in broken English. That gave me confidence in what I had to say.<P> So <A HREF="#28">once</A> you<A HREF="#29">'ve got sorted</A> what you want to say, just <A HREF="#30">connecting</A> <A HREF="#31">a string of</A> <A HREF="#32">nouns and verbs</A> <A HREF="#30">together</A> is enough <A HREF="#33">as long as</A> the other person has some idea of what you're saying. It may sound <A HREF="#34">extreme</A>, but you don't really have to worry about the <A HREF="#35">correct</A> <A HREF="#36">tense</A> or <A HREF="#37">preposition</A> or whether a verb should be <A HREF="#38">singular or plural</A>. Just be confident.<P> I think it's a Japanese <A HREF="#39">characteristic</A> to avoid speaking English because they think it's <A HREF="#40">rude</A> or <A HREF="#41">shameful</A> to speak incorrect English. I've certainly felt like that. But <A HREF="#42">remember</A>, even if your English is broken, at least you're trying, at least you're using another language, and that, in itself, is amazing. <A HREF="#43">Remind yourself:</A> How many English speakers do you think can (or try to) speak Japanese?<P> It reminds me of a time when one of my Australian friends told me: "I <A HREF="#44">admire</A> foreign students. They study <A HREF="#45">exactly</A> the same things that we do but they have to study in a language that's not their <A HREF="#46">mother tongue</A>. That's <A HREF="#47">tough</A>." I <A HREF="#48">agree with</A> him, and I think we should <A HREF="#49">be proud that</A> we're doing something so difficult, even if some native English speakers <A HREF="#50">occasionally</A> <A HREF="#51">look down on</A> us.<P> <A HREF="#52">Over the last couple of months</A> I<A HREF="#53">'ve found</A> I<A HREF="#54">'ve grown used to</A> speaking and thinking in English. Even though my English <A HREF="#55">is far from</A> perfect (and <A HREF="#56">anyway</A> what does "perfect" mean?), I<A HREF="#57">'m</A> <A HREF="#58">reasonably</A> <A HREF="#57">satisfied with</A> it.<P> I'm satisfied because I can communicate with native English speakers without too much trouble. Yes, there are times when I<A HREF="#59">'m frustrated</A>, there are times when I wish I could express myself better or that I could get across a certain <A HREF="#60">nuance</A>. But I can <A HREF="#61">convey</A> my meaning. And that's what I think is important.<P> English <A HREF="#64">is</A>, after all, a <A HREF="#62">tool</A>, a <A HREF="#63">means</A>, <A HREF="#64">no more</A>.</p><br /> <br /> <p> <DL> <DT><A NAME="1"><B>ultimate</B></A><DD>最終的な<P> <DT><A NAME="2"><B>aims to ～</B></A><DD>～することを目指す<P> <DT><A NAME="3"><B>fluently</B></A><DD>流ちょうに<P> <DT><A NAME="4"><B>there's nothing better</B></A><DD>それに越したことはない<P> <DT><A NAME="5"><B>particularly</B></A><DD>特に<P> <DT><A NAME="6"><B>translator</B></A><DD>翻訳者<P> <DT><A NAME="7"><B>interpreter</B></A><DD>通訳者<P> <DT><A NAME="8"><B>（am）of a very different view</B></A><DD>違った考えである<P> <DT><A NAME="9"><B>Frankly</B></A><DD>率直にいって<P> <DT><A NAME="10"><B>Who cares ～</B></A><DD>誰が～を気にするだろうか<P> <DT><A NAME="11"><B>instead of ～</B></A><DD>～の代わりに<P> <DT><A NAME="12"><B>grammatical</B></A><DD>文法的な<P> <DT><A NAME="13"><B>faux pas</B></A><DD>間違い<P> <DT><A NAME="14"><B>feel embarrassed</B></A><DD>恥ずかしく思う<P> <DT><A NAME="15"><B>endearing</B></A><DD>親しみのある<P> <DT><A NAME="16"><B>getting your meaning across</B></A><DD>言いたいことを伝えること<P> <DT><A NAME="17"><B>Content</B></A><DD>中身<P> <DT><A NAME="18"><B>confidence</B></A><DD>自信<P> <DT><A NAME="19"><B>Express your opinion</B></A><DD>自分の意見を言う<P> <DT><A NAME="20"><B>guarantee you that ～</B></A><DD>～を保証する<P> <DT><A NAME="21"><B>listener</B></A><DD>聞き手<P> <DT><A NAME="22"><B>appreciate ～</B></A><DD>～をよいと思う<P> <DT><A NAME="23"><B>Looking back</B></A><DD>振り返ってみると<P> <DT><A NAME="24"><B>learned to ～</B></A><DD>～するようになった<P> <DT><A NAME="25"><B>hold my own</B></A><DD>相手に屈しない<P> <DT><A NAME="26"><B>experience</B></A><DD>経験<P> <DT><A NAME="27"><B>even if ～</B></A><DD>～だとしても<P> <DT><A NAME="28"><B>once ～</B></A><DD>いったん～したら<P> <DT><A NAME="29"><B>（have）got sorted ～</B></A><DD>～を整理する<P> <DT><A NAME="30"><B>connecting ～ together</B></A><DD>～をつなげること<P> <DT><A NAME="31"><B>a string of ～</B></A><DD>たくさんの～<P> <DT><A NAME="32"><B>nouns and verbs</B></A><DD>名詞と動詞<P> <DT><A NAME="33"><B>as long as ～</B></A><DD>～であれば<P> <DT><A NAME="34"><B>extreme</B></A><DD>極端な<P> <DT><A NAME="35"><B>correct</B></A><DD>正しい<P> <DT><A NAME="36"><B>tense</B></A><DD>時制<P> <DT><A NAME="37"><B>preposition</B></A><DD>前置詞<P> <DT><A NAME="38"><B>singular or plural</B></A><DD>単数か複数か<P> <DT><A NAME="39"><B>characteristic</B></A><DD>特徴<P> <DT><A NAME="40"><B>rude</B></A><DD>失礼な<P> <DT><A NAME="41"><B>shameful</B></A><DD>恥ずかしい<P> <DT><A NAME="42"><B>remember</B></A><DD>覚えておいてください<P> <DT><A NAME="43"><B>Remind yourself: ～</B></A><DD>～ということを思い起こしてください<P> <DT><A NAME="44"><B>admire ～</B></A><DD>～を立派だと思う<P> <DT><A NAME="45"><B>exactly</B></A><DD>まったく<P> <DT><A NAME="46"><B>mother tongue</B></A><DD>母語<P> <DT><A NAME="47"><B>tough</B></A><DD>大変な<P> <DT><A NAME="48"><B>agree with ～</B></A><DD>～に同意する<P> <DT><A NAME="49"><B>be proud that ～</B></A><DD>～を誇りに思う<P> <DT><A NAME="50"><B>occasionally</B></A><DD>ときには<P> <DT><A NAME="51"><B>look down on ～</B></A><DD>～を見下す<P> <DT><A NAME="52"><B>Over the last couple of months</B></A><DD>過去数ヵ月の間に<P> <DT><A NAME="53"><B>（have）found ～</B></A><DD>～に気付いた<P> <DT><A NAME="54"><B>（have）grown used to ～</B></A><DD>～に慣れてきた<P> <DT><A NAME="55"><B>is far from ～</B></A><DD>～にはほど遠い<P> <DT><A NAME="56"><B>anyway</B></A><DD>ところで<P> <DT><A NAME="57"><B>（am）satisfied with ～</B></A><DD>～に満足している<P> <DT><A NAME="58"><B>reasonably</B></A><DD>まあまあ<P> <DT><A NAME="59"><B>（am）frustrated</B></A><DD>いらいらする<P> <DT><A NAME="60"><B>nuance</B></A><DD>ニュアンス<P> <DT><A NAME="61"><B>convey ～</B></A><DD>～を伝える<P> <DT><A NAME="62"><B>tool</B></A><DD>道具<P> <DT><A NAME="63"><B>means</B></A><DD>手段<P> <DT><A NAME="64"><B>（is）no more</B></A><DD>それ以上ではない<P> <P><br /> <P><br /><P><br /> <P><br /><P><br /><P><br /> <P><br /><P><br /><P><br /><P><br /> <P><br /><P><br /><P><br /><P><br /><P> <br /><P><br /><P><br /><P><br /><P><br /><P> <br /><P><br /><P><br /><P><br /><P><br /><P><br /><P> </DL> </p> <br /> <hr size="1" noshade /> <ul> <li><a href="/st_contributors.htm">執筆者リスト</a></li> <li><a href="/st_contributors.htm">ＳＴについて</a></li> <li><a href="/st_faq.htm">よくある質問</a></li> <li><a href="/st_advertise.htm">広告掲載</a></li> <li><a href="/st_contactus.htm">お問い合わせ</a></li> <li><a href="/st_our_company.htm">会社概要</a></li> <li><a href="/st_privacypolicy.htm">プライバシーポリシー</a></li> <li><a href="/st_linkpolicy.htm">リンクポリシー</a></li> <li><a href="/st_copyright.htm">著作権</a></li> <li><a href="/st_sitemap.htm">サイトマップ</a></li> <br /> <li><a href="/"><i>トップページに戻る</i></a></li> </ul>