発展 · Unit 45
比較 — not as 〜 as = 比較級 than = less than
not as 〜 as、比較級 than、less than の3つの構文は、同じ状況を別の角度から表現する相互変換の関係で、AがBより劣っているという事実を3つの方法で自由に言い換えられます。
概念の説明
not as 〜 as、比較級 than、less than の3つの構文は、同じ状況を別の角度から表現する相互変換の関係で、AがBより劣っているという事実を3つの方法で自由に言い換えられます。
A. not as 〜 as — 原級の否定による表現
not as + 原級 + as は「前の対象が後ろの対象ほど…でない」という意味で、原級はそのままにして前に not だけをつけて作ります。一般動詞の文では don't / doesn't で否定します。
| 形 | 例 | 意味 |
|---|---|---|
| A is not as + 原級 + as B | This is not as expensive as that. | これはあれほど高くない |
| A doesn't + 動詞 + as + 原級 + as B | He doesn't run as fast as me. | 彼は私ほど速く走らない |
- The coffee here is not as strong as at the other cafe. (ここのコーヒーは別のカフェほど濃くありません。)
- Today isn't as hot as yesterday. (今日は昨日ほど暑くありません。)
- He doesn't work as hard as his colleagues. (彼は同僚たちほど熱心に働きません。)
B. 比較級 than — 方向を入れ替える方式
not as 〜 as の文は、主語と比較対象の位置を入れ替えて比較級 + than で書き直すと同じ意味になります。not as 〜 as = 比較級 than (位置入れ替え) = less than (位置維持) という3つの方式の等価関係がこのユニットの核心です。
| 元の文 (not as 〜 as) | 比較級 than への変換 |
|---|---|
| This is not as expensive as that. | That is more expensive than this. |
| Anna isn't as tall as her sister. | Her sister is taller than Anna. |
| I don't run as fast as him. | He runs faster than me. |
- This car isn't as fast as that one. → That car is faster than this one. (あの車がこの車より速いです。)
- The exam isn't as difficult as last year's. → Last year's exam was more difficult than this one. (去年の試験の方が今回より難しかったです。)
- He doesn't cook as well as his wife. → His wife cooks better than him. (奥さんの方が彼より料理が上手です。)
C. less than — 劣等比較の方式
less + 原級 + than は、主語と対象の位置をそのまま保ったまま同じ意味を表現する劣等比較の方式で、前に less をつけるだけなので文の構造が変わらないという利点があります。
| 3つの表現 | 例 (同じ意味) |
|---|---|
| not as 〜 as | This is not as expensive as that. |
| 比較級 than (位置入れ替え) | That is more expensive than this. |
| less than (位置維持) | This is less expensive than that. |
- This book is not as interesting as that one. = This book is less interesting than that one. (この本はあの本より面白くありません。)
- Today isn't as cold as yesterday. = Today is less cold than yesterday. (今日は昨日より寒くありません。)
- He doesn't study as hard as his sister. = He studies less hard than his sister. (彼はお姉さんより熱心に勉強しません。)
- The new phone is not as expensive as the old one. = The new phone is less expensive than the old one. (新しい携帯は前のより高くありません。)
重要ポイント
- 1not as 〜 as、比較級 than、less than の3つの構文は、同じ状況を3つの方法で表現する等価関係です。(例: A is not as tall as B = B is taller than A = A is less tall than B.)
- 2not as 〜 as を比較級 than に変えるときは、主語と比較対象の位置を必ず入れ替えます。(例: This isn't as expensive as that → That is more expensive than this.)
- 3less than に変えるときは位置をそのままにして、not as 〜 as の代わりに less + 原級 + than をつけるだけです。(例: This isn't as cold as that = This is less cold than that.)
- 4not as 〜 as 構文の原級部分は、絶対に -er や more に変えません。(例: not as tall as / X: not as taller as)
- 5日本語の「〜ほど…でない／〜より劣る／〜より…でない」は、すべてこの3つの構文のいずれかで自然に置き換えられます。(例: 〜ほど…でない → not as 〜 as)
例文
This book is not as interesting as that one.
この本はあの本ほど面白くありません。
That book is more interesting than this one.
あの本がこの本より面白いです。
This book is less interesting than that one.
この本はあの本より面白くありません。
Anna is not as tall as her sister.
アンナはお姉さんほど背が高くありません。
Her sister is taller than Anna.
お姉さんはアンナより背が高いです。
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こんな間違いに注意
This is not as expensive as that.
This isn't as tall as that.
He doesn't run as fast as me.
This is less expensive than that.
This isn't as expensive as that → That is more expensive than this.