【英語論文の書き方】第38回　まちがえやすい副詞の使い方 論文翻訳・英文校正　研究者専門の翻訳会社　ワールド翻訳サービス

前回の第37回では
(1) 同じ種類の名詞が続くとき、冠詞はくりかえし付けるべきか？
(2) and の意味でスラッシュマーク（/）は使えません！
(3) くだけた表現とより形式的な表現。論文でふさわしい表現を知っておきましょう。
を取り上げました。

今回の第38回では、以下3つのテーマを取り上げます。
(1) Another look at adverbial expressions, focusing on their use in the middle of a sentence
科学論文での副詞の正しい使い方
however, therefore, on the other hand, in contrast, thus, as as resultなど
日本人が特に間違えやすいポイントです。　

(2) Expressions indicating that something agrees with something else
「誰かに同意する」という表現。
他の研究者が導いた結果と同じ結果になったというときに使える表現です。

(3) Over versus more than: Which is preferable in scientific writing?
over と more than、どちらが科学論文にはふさわしい？

それではどうぞご覧ください！

In the very first issue of Quarterly Review, released in the summer of 2010, we looked at the subject of sentence adverbials. Since adverbial expressions are an important element of scientific writing and many researchers have problems with them, in this review we again explore this topic but from a slightly different perspective. We then briefly discuss expressions indicating agreement, and finally compare over with more than.

In the Summer 2010 issue of Quarterly Review, we looked at the topic of adverbial expressions, particularly those appearing at the beginning of a sentence. To refresh your memory, examples of adverbial expressions often seen in scientific texts are words or phrases such as however, therefore, on the other hand, in contrast, thus, as a result, and so on.
 
Scientific papers written in English by Japanese researchers often contain a series of sentences in which each begins with an adverbial expression; for example: “First, we AAA. Next, we BBB. However, we found that CCC. Therefore, DDD.” Although this is a nice, logical flow, such a writing style may seem repetitive and there is a risk that the reader might become bored.
 
The main point of the discussion in the Summer 2010 issue was how to avoid overusing these expressions in this way. One of the solutions proposed was to place some of them inside the sentence, rather than at the beginning. Here, we will look at the use of adverbial expressions in the middle of a sentence, with an emphasis on the different punctuation used in different cases.
 
When using adverbial expressions in the middle of a sentence, they can appear in either of two ways:
(a) at the beginning of a clause, or
(b) in the middle of a clause.
 
Remember, the most basic difference between a clause (節) and a phrase (句) is that a clause (generally) contains a verb. A clause can form a whole sentence by itself (e.g., “Y is smaller than Z.”), but more commonly it is a part of a sentence (e.g., “It has been reported that Y is smaller than Z.”).
 
(a) Using an adverbial expression at the beginning of a clause
When we use an adverbial expression at the beginning of a clause in the middle of a sentence containing two or more clauses, we insert a semicolon (;) at the end of the preceding clause. The reason for this semicolon is to create a clear distinction between the two clauses.
 
Here is an example of the use of therefore in the middle of a sentence consisting of two clauses:
“X is larger than Y; therefore, Y is smaller than Z.”
–Notice the semicolon at the end of the first clause, clearly distinguishing that clause from the second clause.
 
Here is an example using another adverbial expression, on the other hand:
“The number of voids increased with increasing pressure; on the other hand, the holding time had no effect on the number of voids.”
–Again, notice the semicolon at the end of the first clause.
 
(b) Using an adverbial expression in the middle of a clause
In these cases, we generally use a comma (,) before and after the adverbial expression, making it a type of parenthetical statement.
 
Here are two examples using however and in contrast in this way:
“Y, however, is smaller than Z.”
“X, in contrast, can never be equal to Y.”
 
There is a small exception to this usage. In the case of the adverbial expressions therefore, thus, hence, and consequently (which all have the same basic meaning), the commas before and after the expression can generally be omitted; in other words, they are optional. Here is an example:
“A is therefore/thus/hence/consequently equal to B.” (no commas)

When we wish to indicate that a result we have obtained is similar to that obtained by other researchers, the two main expressions used are as follows:
 
(a) agree with
Example: “The results agreed with those reported by Smith.”
To emphasize similarity: “. . . agreed well/closely with. . . .”
 
(b) in agreement with
Example: “The results were in agreement with those reported by Smith.”
To emphasize similarity: “. . . were in good/close agreement with. . . .”

Although many people use over and more than interchangeably, and there are many arguments over this point, in scientific writing it is preferable to use more than when referring to quantitative values. For example:

• “The liquid reached a temperature of more than [not over] 30°C.”
• “The sample had a length of more than [not over] 1 m.”

(Similarly, it is better to use less than rather than below or under.)
Instead of more than, you can also use the word exceeding; for example:

• “The liquid reached a temperature exceeding 30°C.”

 
I hope that the above guidance is helpful to you in your work.
 
Sincerely yours,
 
Bob Gavey
For World Translation Services, Inc.

第１回　if、in case、when の正しい使い分け：確実性の程度を英語で正しく表現する
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigoronbunwriting-1/index.html
 
第2回 「装置」に対する英語表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigoronbun-equipment/index.html
 
第3回　助動詞のニュアンスを正しく理解する：「～することが出来た」「～することが出来なかった」の表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigoronbun3/index.html
 
第4回　「～を用いて」の表現：by と with の違い
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigoronbun-writing4/index.html
 
第5回　技術英文で使われる代名詞のitおよび指示代名詞thisとthatの違いとそれらの使用法
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigoronbun-daimeishi/index.html
 
第6回　原因・結果を表す動詞の正しい使い方：その1 原因→結果
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigoronbun6-kekka/index.html
 
第7回　原因・結果を表す動詞の使い方：その2 結果→原因
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigoronbun-kekka/index.html
 
第8回　受動態の多用と誤用に注意
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigoronbun-writing8/index.html
 
第9回　top-heavyな英文を避ける
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigoronbun-topheavy/index.html
 
第10回　名詞の修飾語を前から修飾する場合の表現法
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun10/index.html
 
第11回　受動態による効果的表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun11/index.html
 
第12回　同格を表す接続詞thatの使い方
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun12/index.html
 
第13回 「技術」を表す英語表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun13/index.html
 
第14回　「特別に」を表す英語表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun14/index.html
 
第15回　所有を示すアポストロフィー + s ( ’s) の使い方
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun15/index.html
 
第16回　「つまり」「言い換えれば」を表す表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun16/index.html
 
第17回　寸法や重量を表す表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun17/index.html
 
第18回　前置詞 of の使い方: Part 1
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun18/index.html
 
第19回　前置詞 of の使い方: Part 2
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun19/index.html
 
第20回　物体や物質を表す英語表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun20/index.html
 
第21回　句動詞表現より1語動詞での表現へ
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun21/index.html
 
第22回　不定詞と動名詞: Part 1
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun22/index.html
 
第23回　不定詞と動名詞の使い分け: Part 2
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun23/index.html

第24回　理由を表す表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun24/index.html

第25回　総称表現　（a, theの使い方を含む）
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun25/index.html
　
第26回　「研究開発」を表す英語表現
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun26/index.html

第27回　「0～１の数値は単数か複数か？」
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun27/index.html

第28回　「時制－現在形の動詞の使い方」
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun28/index.html

第29回 　then, however, therefore, for example など接続副詞の使い方
​http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun29/index.html

第30回　 まちがえやすいusing, based onの使い方－分詞構文
​http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun30/index.html

第31回　 比率や割合の表現（ratio, rate, proportion, percent, percentage）
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun31/index.html

第32回　英語論文の書き方　総集編
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun32/index.html

第33回　Quality Review Issue No. 23　report, show の時制について
​http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun33/index.html

第34回　Quality Review Issue No. 24　参考文献で日本語論文をどう記載すべきか
​http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun34/index.html

第35回　Quality Review Issue No. 25　略語を書き出すときによくある間違いとは？
​http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun35/index.html

第36回　Quality Review Issue No. 26　％と℃の前にスペースを入れるかどうか
http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun36/index.html

第37回　Quality Review Issue No. 27　同じ種類の名詞が続くとき冠詞は付けるべき？！
​http://worldts.com/english-writing/eigo-ronbun37/index.html