昨年9月より今年の1月まで自力でタイプライターをもちいて映画"Oh, God!"のシナリオの聴き起こし(dictation)に取り組んだ。その後、母語話者の協力を得てなんとか完成させることができた。
「オーゴッド」("Oh, God!")の主な登場人物は以下のとおり。
Jerry Landers
God
Jerry's wife (Bobby Landers)
英語が聴き取れないという問題は、大きくいって二つの問題がある。
そもそも言語経験が欠如しているため聞いたことも読んだこともないフレーズの場合が、第一。そもそも文字で見たとしてもわからないのだから、これが聴き取りで聴き取れるはずがない。以下いくつかのタイプ例をあげてみる。
今回の映画では、まず、宗教関係の語彙は如何ともしがたい。ecclesiastical, Aramaicなど、読んだことも聞いたこともない。自分自身、宗教関係を勉強したことがないのだから当然だ。したがって聴きとることなどできない。
さらに映画の中で聴聞会が開かれる。は、法廷映画というほどではないのだが、法廷のような場面での格式のある（？）英語はむずかしい。たとえ簡単な語彙であっても、"it pleases the court "というような発想に我々はなかなかついていけないところがある。
次に、自分自身、実は日常語にも弱点がある。海外生活の経験も少ないから、これも当然といえば当然だ。たとえば a novelty store。store とついて述べていることはわかるから、なんとなく想像もつくが、一瞬で発話されると、どんな店なのかと、わからないまま進んでいく。またこれも日常語の plaid （「（スコットランドの柄の）格子縞」）。車の用語ですら疎いところがある。
それから、prominence など、自分にとって使用頻度の少ない語彙。
既知の語彙でも、使い方が違うと置いていかれてしまう。たとえば、page。「（本の）ページ」の他に「呼び出す」という意味がある。
make a mockery of something （～をあざ笑う）、hold the presses のようなそれぞれの語彙は知っていても母語話者に聞き馴れたイディオムとなるとこれがまた障害となる。hold the pressesは、文脈にもよるが、いま記事にすべき重要なことが起こっているのだから報道・印刷を止めるべきという状況に置かれて使う、そもそもは新聞社用語だったようだ。そんなことは知らないから、これが急に登場すると、置き去りにされてしまう。
これには、時間の問題もある。印刷文字を時間をかけて見ることができるならば、知識で察しがつく場合も少なくないからだ。たとえば、古語や文学の話。"Thou shalt not waste"は、聖書からの引用ではないが、ユダヤの教えを古い英語で言ったもの。「無駄にするな」「浪費するな」「環境を破壊するな」といったような含意だろう。limericksなどもその類だ。
フロイトやミケランジェロなど日本語では知っているけれど、フロイトやミケランジェロを英語で何と発話するか、どのように綴るのかというと、これは全く別の話になる。別物ということだ*1。
さらにいつもながらのことだが、ジョークとなると、確実に置いていかれる。たとえば、"menopause" と "mental pause"のギャグ。また、神の役のユダヤ系俳優のジョージ・バーンズ(George Burns)の似顔絵を披露する際に、外国人名をもつ無名の Mr. Fernando Ponce をもちだしたり、観客が喜ぶであろうパンティストッキングに関する奥さんの怒りなど。
以下、映画中でのテレビ番組や牧師の説教部分などは割愛しての引用とする。
・filthy limericks
・...loans and mortgages
・some bills
・An ad
・For God oven cleaner or for God detergent
・Air ball
・Arty Coogan
・romaine lettuce
・oiling your cukes
・Hoak Street
・Now an oldie but goodie Jerry Gray and "String of Pearls"
・(Moses) had to handle 10
・...Dracula can't see himself in a mirror.
・he broadcast those filthy limericks through the television set
・another little goof of mine
・Life is a crap shoot
・nuture each other
・thou shalt not waste
・Sigmund Freud
・(Try coming up with) a mackerel.
・A hold the presses. （輪転機を止めろ）
・At a novelty store
・Please come to alsle 10
・The page - I was just paged.
・(Red) plaid
・(special) effects
・bat an eye （目を瞬く）
・my radiator must be leaking
・A radiator doesn't hold that much water.
・(give it) the prominence that it deserves
・mental pause
・Mario Merchardo
・The Dinah Shore Show
・a lie detector test
・adept (at making a sketch...)
・Fernando Ponce
・Michelangelo
・Lowell (Willson)
・pantyhose （パンティストッキング）
・The guy that offered to chew on my pantyhose!
・prerequisites（前提条件）
・blasphemy (冒涜）
・It would be blasphemy of me to...
・ecclesiastical（教会の、聖職の）
・we have assembled...
・As a control measure
・(The questions are) in ancient tongue of Aramaic
・(Voltaire) may have had me pegged right
・panal （審査員団）
・The defendant is trying to make a mockery of this preceeding.
・fleeting (moment)
・I cautioned (you earlier)...
・In that flash of an instant, lies the benefit of a doubt that...
・(I'm seriously considering) citing you with contempt
・(What you) apparently thought (was a very clever) stunt.
・If it pleases the court and even if it doesn't please the court,
・(The man tried to tell a lie,) his tongue would snap off
・There's nothing miraculous about good sleight of hand
・abide
一方、文字におこしてみると、なんだそんな簡単なことを言っているのと、既知の単語である場合がある。これが第二というべき問題で、これは純粋に音の問題ということになる。
音と一言でいっても、リズム・スピードの問題も大きい。抑揚があり、速い、リズム・スピードについていけないという課題がある。
切り方は気にしないで、以下、聴き取れなかった部分を引用する。( )部分は聞き取れた部分を示している。
日常会話では、やわらかいヤマト言葉ともいうべき基礎語が使われて発話されることが少なくない。これに馴れていないと、聴き取りに苦労することになる。語彙水準はそれほどでないのだが、確実に置いてきぼりをくらってしまう。
たとえば、"How far do you intend to take this?"。これは「どこまでやるつもりなのよ」と訳せると思うが、こうした日常表現が案外むずかしい。
・Listen. I think we shoud wait for the powder room then huh?
・I just don't think we should spend that kind of money
・I've got to meet the district produce manager
・I've got this load of plums coming in. Let the plums wait.
・(I thought) this way we would have (a little privacy)
・(this is the best gag you've ever) pulled
・I went to a lot of (trouble to make it a comfortable interview)
・(I put) summer before winter, didn't I?
・in a way you can accept I'm relating
・I appear to you (just as God)
・...couldn't grasp it
・I've read an article
・Like it says...
・You want me to talk louder?
・That we've spoken.
・They'll put me away.
・I found that...
・I mean that...
・you didn't let him hear you
・…want what they've got down here to work
・It's along those lines.
・Arty Coogan set up...
・...believe in him
・Doesn't seem to...
・...down here can work, huh?
・...I thought we needed shame
・I picked a look (you could unerstand)
・You thought...
・...not as good as others
・If you wanted to see me, why didn't you just appear over my bed?
・Hollywood!
・(I can't) help hearing.
・I don't always listen.
・(I care) plenty but...
・I put in a new blade
・A lot of it is luck
・Put on a little toilet paper
・With, with (your powers)
・Don't - don't wet it.
・it'd (solve) all (our problems?)
・just to keep my hand in
・No offense but...
・And did the whole job in one.
・(...remember that one of my) days
・You're doing some very funny things with words here.
・Then...
・Well...
・...the assistant (manager)
・Then he was...
・What is that?
・Now does that look like something I would get at a novelty shop?
・People would be dropping dead from hysteria.
・Why wouldn't a religeous etidor believe you?
・Face it. You goofed again.
・(this conversation) we're having
・I'm having！
・And I'll be real glad whe I wake up too!
・I wouldn't want anybody hurt
・You didn't even bat an eye.
・You didn't have to lift a finger.
・…to rain a little harder
・Why should I spoil everybody'd day?
・I was about to (ask you)
・I must have droven through a (car-wash with my windows open)
・That'll do it.
・There's an aura of goodness around you
・(I'll) give it another shot
・This water that I'm dripping all (over here is the water that he made!)
・you will hear from me again
・You can (print that in your paper)
・Well,
・Can we stay up and...
・...as opposed to (killing)
・Glad you could...
・You're taking over while Slavak is vacationing?
・(stay) away from reporters
・(God) may have been (interested in talking to you) as an (assistant manager)
・we're in business
・(I'm) liable (to lose my job)
・(Well, I got early) from work son
・I thought I would give you a lift home
・That's rotten
・They wanted to know if you could help their little league team.
・They gave them a very rough day
・How far do you intend to take this?
・I didn't want to say it that way
・(This show) is taped, isn't it?
・The applause is for you
・I don't mind (telling you)
・(You have some pretty) powerful (friend)
・...shall we?
・No one is supposed to know what God looks like.
・I sure hope my friends are doing their homework
・(get) God arrested
・Weren't you (on the Dinah Show last night?)
・For starters, you do a show like that
・You don't let them put you on in the last few minutes
・That's for fellows who write diet books
・He did that laying on his back
・I'm too crazy
・I have to leave the phone off the hook...
・In the doorways
・Today they even put one in the dog's mouth
・God will get his word across
・You could of course decline
・Do I need to sign this
・They're playing our number
・planet earth
・Eat the steak
・Now I realize that they were...
・the heart is the temple where all truth resides
・Buddah
・(there was no) room in the inn
・and so was the one with charges
・(let's) march on
・What was that...
・I'm certainly not going to get into that
・They'll be a lot of ...
・(...not go for) laughs
・was afraid to laugh
・not more, not one tiny bit less, just what they think it means and what I think doesn't count at all
・...what I got some of my (best ideas)
・and I want...
・(make sure) that it all doesn't go down the drain
・Boy
・, can't you?
・Amen
・(God) knows the falling of a sparrow
・would you come to the bench, please?
・everlasting (eternal being)
・Right when no one in this room knew what was gonna happen next
・I must...
・He saw me
・...any more probable than your own
・I rest my case
・Now recessed
・what-so-ever
・we're covered
聴きとりの問題としては、言語体験・語彙力や聴解力のパワーが足りないため、不安定さという問題はたくさん起こる。
冠詞や助動詞の省略形、現在形と進行形など、文法的には充分にわかっているはずなのに、音として弱音のために、聴き取りでa と the を取り違えたり、冠詞が抜けたり、現在完了の短縮形が抜けたりする。
代名詞も弱音で発話されることが多いので、これを聞き落とす。
それから、同様に、put, have などの big wordsでないヤマト言葉の聴き取りがむずかしい。とくに自分はやわらかいヤマト言葉の句動詞 (phrasal verbs) に弱いことがあらためてわかった。やわらかいヤマト言葉の句動詞に馴れていないということだ。
また、傾向として、文頭の聴き取りが弱いという弱点がある。
以下、自分の聴き取り（勘違いもふくめて）と、母語話者の訂正になる。（ただし、母語話者はひとりなので、これが正確かというとまだ校正が必要だろう。）
(Right) (Wrong)
・Jer Jerry
・Is there any good mail today? good mail today?
・Did we make... we made...
・Just checking Just check
・You have a what? You've what
・God Almighty. God all mighty.
・Sue me. Show me.
・If you were God,... If you're God,...
・Right the first time. Right first time.
・Where do you think you are? What do you think you are?
・you'd need a can-opener you need a can-opener
・Ostriches were a mistake Ostrich...mistake
・but look if this is a joke look this is a joke
・We'll talk on the way We talk on the way
・I'm more than that More than that
・I want you to spread the word I want you to split the word
・...the talk I may be dead... the talk that made me dead...
・That guy on the motorcycle… What a guy on the motorcycle...
・If you do your job, right. Do your job, right?
・He had a bad memory You had a bad memory
・...people could just... ...if people could just..
・Don't hang up on me Don't hung up on me
・you just went through a red light you just went to a red light
・Why don't you let me fix you a bowl? Why don't you let me fix your bowl?
・You don't want me to see... You don't love to see…
・He made the pit too big He made a pit too big
・You know what's good for that? You know it's good for that?
・doing a normal thing makes you think normal do a normal thing makes you think normal
・to your head in the head
・there's no special there's not special?
・with the Governer to the Governer
・Ah No
・Luck? Look?
・I'll get you a piece I'll get you piece
・everything in it Everything is in it
・Here Yeah
・Well Oh
・They're That's
・I knew it I know it
・Oh! All
・you have to go back... I have to go back...
・You're right Right
・about it for five days about five dadys
・I'm really best under pressure I'm really best on the pressure
・...was still in medical school ...was still a medical school
・if you're so involved with us... if you're still involved with us...
・...all the sufferings that goes on in the world ...all the sufferings going in the world
・All the choices are yours All the choices is yours
・You're also turning the sky into mud You also turn the sky into mud
・I got you to carry the ball I got you carry the ball
・You've got a scoop here We've got a scoop here
・An exclusive And it's exclusive
・Look at it Look at
・You know where I got it? You ...got it?
・he wanted me to be His manager,,, he wanted to be His manager...
・Did God specify the Los Angeles Times? God specified the Los Angeles Times?
・Why that guy at the Times... the guy at the Times...
・didn't find God's words fit the print didn't find God's words in the print
・Some tough cookies, boy Some top cookies, boy
・Mrs. Laven Mrs. Raven
・We're all right! Are you all right?
・Can you sign this please? Any sign this please?
・You don't believe I'm here, do you? You don't believe me, do you?
・What color are my eyes? What color ...my eyes?[
・You made it rain You made a rain
・Would you care for a little snow? Would you care a little snow?
・What's the problem, officer? What's problem, officer?
・Roll up your windows next time Go up windows next time
・He believed that dumb excuse He believes it. Don't excuse
・...to get the word out ...to ge the way out
・You're all wet You're wet
・in the toilet on the toilet
・Ah Oh
・he's alive and well he's live and well
・that our world can work the world can work
・That will really make me crazy I doubt it really makes me crazy
・He is definately not the man in the Times today Definately not the man on the Times today
・Jerry, you made the front page Jarry, you made a front page
・Hey! Everybody, look! Hey! Buddy, look!
・That's the 10 o'clock news! That's a 10 o'clock news!
・...handle a store as manager ...handle a store manager
・Lose a job, save the world Lose the job, save the world
・...to be a part of an experiment today ...to be a part of experiment today
・whether or not you can keep your job! whether or not to keep your job!
・Don't let it get to me?! it's got to me! Don't let it get to me?! It got me!
・...asking to talk to God ...asking talk to God
・That you're... Let you
・describe the Creator in human terms describe the Creator of human terms
・Eleven dollars for a steak Eleven dollars for steak
・I wouldn't look forward to it I would look forward to it
・he's a phony it's phony
・I hope I get an A I hope you get an A
・my new car my car
・God sent me to you God send me to you
・...all of those questions ...all of your questions
・I won't be alone I want to be alone
・You'll never believe it You never believe it
・I've andwered enough questions I'll answer enough questions
・you're in good company your good company
今回、自分で台本をおこしてみて、そして母語話者の協力を得て完成させてみて、たいへん勉強になった。
母語話者は1～2名に協力を願ったので、まだ推敲が必要なことは言うまでもない。
