singular

Jane Austenの "pride and prejudice" を読んでいます。
With a renewal of tenderness, however, they returned to her room on leaving the dining-parlour, and sat with her till summoned to coffee. She was still very poorly, and Elizabeth would not quit her at all, till late in the evening, when she had the comfort of seeing her sleep, and when it seemed to her rather right than pleasant that she should go downstairs herself. On entering the drawing-room she found the whole party at loo, and was immediately invited to join them; but suspecting them to be playing high she declined it, and making her sister the excuse, said she would amuse herself for the short time she could stay below, with a book. Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment.
“Do you prefer reading to cards?” said he; “that is rather singular.”
“Miss Eliza Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, “despises cards. She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else.”
"loo" にはトイレの意味があることをかなり前に（4/18/2012）知り、このブログで取り上げたと思っていましたが、"loo" を直接取り上げたわけではなく、"buttonhole" の単語を取り上げた際の例文 "to detain (a person) in conversation: As Bob tried to sort out the situation revellers continued to buttonhole him, asking the way to Victoria station-and the loo!" に出ていました。脱線しましたが、 "pride and prejudice" の小説に出てきた "loo" はカードゲームの一種です。（Oxford English Dictionary: A gambling card game, popular from the 17th to the 19th centuries, in which a player who fails to win a trick must pay a sum to a pool.）
また、"singular" は7/8/2010 に取り上げた "singular dream" の "singular" と同じ意味ですね。

accommodationist

今日はThe Japan Times Onlineのオピニオン記事 'The China hawks got it mostly right' の副題　"Are there any China accommodationists left in Washington?" に出てきた単語 "accommodationist" を覚えたいと思います。　記事内で "accommodationist" が使われている段落を引用します。
China is an aggressive, expansionist power with anti-democratic values, and it is not turning toward liberal ideals. Nor does being “nice” to China yield dividends in terms of encouraging good behavior. As long ago as 2015, writers such as Christopher Balding were far better guides to reality, and far better predictors, than were the China accommodationists.
"accommodationist" の説明を辞書で見ます。

・Oxford English Dictionary: A person who seeks compromise with an opposing point of view, typically a political one.: This journal began by trying to steer a compromise between accommodationists and radicals.

・Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary: one who adapts to or compromises with an opposing view especially : a black person who adapts to the ideals or attitudes of white people: Many African American activists had broken with King, advocating Black Power rather than racial reconciliation, abandoning nonviolence, and denouncing King as an accommodationist.

office

Jane Austenの "pride and prejudice" を読んでいます。
“She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild.”
“She did, indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance. Very nonsensical to come at all! Why must she be scampering about the country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair, so untidy, so blowsy!”
“Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain; and the gown which had been let down to hide it not doing its office.”
“Your picture may be very exact, Louisa,” said Bingley; “but this was all lost upon me. I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked remarkably well when she came into the room this morning. Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice.”
文中の "office" は私の知っているオフィスではありません。辞書を見ます。
・Oxford English Dictionary: dated A duty attaching to one's position; a task or function.: the offices of a nurse
・Collins Dictionary: the function or characteristic action of a particular thing
・Vocabulary.com: the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group
この "office" は古語の様ですが、"office" 内でしている事との関係が分かります。

keep your breath to cool your porridge

Jane Austenの "pride and prejudice" を読んでいます。
“You are a very strange creature by way of a friend!—always wanting me to play and sing before anybody and everybody! If my vanity had taken a musical turn, you would have been invaluable; but as it is, I would really rather not sit down before those who must be in the habit of hearing the very best performers.” On Miss Lucas’s persevering, however, she added, “Very well, if it must be so, it must.” And gravely glancing at Mr. Darcy, “There is a fine old saying, which everybody here is of course familiar with: ‘Keep your breath to cool your porridge’; and I shall keep mine to swell my song.”
"Keep your breath to cool your porridge" は慣用句ですね。辞書の説明を見ます。
・Farlex Dictionary of Idioms: Focus on yourself and your life, rather than other people's lives and issues.: Lady Martha, I strongly suggest that you keep your breath to cool your porridge, rather than intruding upon these affairs.

・Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Look after your own affairs, and do not put your spoke in another person’s wheel. Husband your strength to keep your own state safe and well, and do not waste it on matters in which you have really no concern. Don’t scold or rail at me, but look at home.

deign

Jane Austenの "pride and prejudice" 原書版を読み始めました。多読版と違って難しい単語がでてきます。２百年以上も前、つまり江戸時代後期に書かれた英語の割にはそれほど違和感はありません。高校生の頃古文が大の苦手だったので日本語でも江戸時代後期の本は読めないでしょうね。
今日取り上げる単語は古語ではないようですが、余り見かけたことがなかった単語です。
“But you forget, mamma,” said Elizabeth, “that we shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long promised to introduce him.”
“I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her.”
“No more have I,” said Mr. Bennet; “and I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you.”
Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply, but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.
"deign" を辞書で調べます。
・Oxford English Dictionary: Do something that one considers to be beneath one's dignity.: she did not deign to answer the maid's question

・Collins Dictionary: If you say that someone deigned to do something, you are expressing your disapproval of the fact that they did it unwillingly, because they thought they were too important to do it.: Weatherby didn't deign to reply.

・Cambridge English Dictionary: to do something unwillingly and in a way that shows that you think you are too important to do it: If she deigns to reply to my letter, I'll be extremely surprised.

pride and prejudice

Jane Austenの "pride and prejudice" を読み始めました。と言っても多読用のRetold版なので難しい単語や慣用句は使われておらず、恐らく省略した部分があるせいか、原文よりページ数も少なくなっています。1813年に書かれたので２百年以上も前の社会で、もちろん日本の話ではありませんが、題名から分かる様に、人の気持ちや考えの内面と外面の描写は普遍的で、よく理解できます。　つい最近読んだ江國香織の日本の現代を舞台にした小説「きらきらひかる」（英語版 "Twinkle Twinkle"）の主人公（アル中の妻とホモの夫）達の気持ち、考え、行動はほとんど理解できず、共感できる箇所はなかったのと対照的です。　知らない単語は全く出てこなかったので、主人公のJaneがプロポーザルされた際の応答の一部を引用します。
'Mr Darcy, you could not have made me the offer of your hand in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it. The moment I first met you, I noticed your pride, your sense of superiority, and your selfish disdain for the feelings of others. Later events strengthened my dislike for you. You are the last man in the world whom I could ever be persuaded to marry.'
角田光代の「対岸の彼女」がまだ貸し出し中で借りれないので、次に読む本は "pride and prejudice" の原本にします。

pride

今まで使っていたパソコンのOSはサポート切れのWindowsXPだったのでさすがに色々と不都合な事が増えすぎてついにパソコンを新しい物に替えました。サクサクと動作は快適ですが、前のパソコンで使っていたデータや設定等何かと新しいパソコンには移していない事が多く当面は必ずしも使い勝手は良いとは言えません。
さて、江國 香織の　"Twinkle Twinkle" を読んでいます。
The legend according to Shoko went like this: once every generation, large numbers of white lions are born in different places around the world, all at the same time. Their coats are so light in color that the other lions refuse to accept them, and before long they disappear from the pride.
この意味での "pride" を見かけたのは '10/10/2014' 以来これで恐らく２度目だと思いますが、"lion" が一緒に出てきているので思い出せました。
"Twinkle Twinkle" は何か賞を貰った小説の様ですが、私にはちっとも面白くない話でした。直ぐに読み終えたので次に読む本に期待しよう。
角田光代の "Woman on the Other Shore"(原題名　対岸の彼女)を次に読みたいのですが、まだ貸出中になっていて借りられません。
　 "pride" からの連想でJane Austenの "Pride and Prejudice" を借りることにしました。

flume

角田光代の "The Eighth Day" (原題　八日目の蝉)がとても良かったので、江戸区の図書館にもう一冊ある同著者の英訳の小説を読もうとしたのですが、残念ながら貸し出し中になっていたので、江國 香織の　"Twinkle Twinkle"(原題「きらきらひかる」)を読むことにしました。。
酒飲みの女とホモの男が結婚するのですが、特に事件らしき事件が起こるわけではなく、だらだらと話は続きます。
It didn't make any sense. What could Mizuho have been thinking? I couldn't work it out at all.
"Who's up for a ride on the long flume?" Haneki asked. We'd been avoiding it so far, since Yuta could't go on anything too fast, but the truth was that it was my favorite ride.
"flume" の意味を調べます。

・Oxford English Dictionary:

a. A deep narrow channel or ravine with a stream running through it.
b. An artificial channel conveying water, typically used for transporting logs or timber.
c. A water-chute ride at an amusement park.: Tom couldn't get enough of the mini flume and waterslide.
この小説での意味は c.ですね。
この意味での他の辞書の説明も見ます。
・Collins Dictionary: a slide in the form of a long and winding tube with a stream of water running through it that descends into a purpose-built pool
・Cambridge English Dictionary: a structure for people to slide down at a swimming pool or water park, shaped like a large tube with water flowing through it: Guests lie on their stomach on the toboggan style mat as they ride down the flumes.

・Random House Unabridged Dictionary: an amusement park ride in which passengers are carried in a boatlike or loglike conveyance through a narrow, water-filled chute or over a water slide.
夏には最適な遊びですが、この暑さとコロナで会社が休みの日は家から出る気がしない。

social distancing

ソーシャルディスタンスという言葉はすっかり日本語になったようですが、コロナ感染を防ぐための人との距離の意味では普通英語では "social distance" とは言わず、"social distancing" を使うことは英語に接している方は気が付いていると思います。
何故かと気になりちょっと調べてみました。
"social distancing" を英英辞典で調べると "social distance" の項目はあっても、"social distancing" の項目は見当たりません。そしてその意味の説明はだいたい次の様です。
・Oxford English Dictionary: The perceived or desired degree of remoteness between a member of one social group and the members of another, as evidenced in the level of intimacy tolerated between them.: The intimate social distance between the teacher and the students implies that the teacher showed her students she belonged to their community and to their culture.
・Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary: the degree of acceptance or rejection of social interaction between individuals and especially those belonging to different social groups (such as those based on race, ethnicity, class, or gender): There is a very large body of sociological research showing that a lessening of social distance among groups typically decreases prejudice and improves the ability to understand the concerns of the "other.
この様に "social distance" は病気の感染を防ぐための理由以外の理由で人と距離を保っていることが念頭にあるようです。その理由についてはWikipediaの"social distance"(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_distance) の項に詳しい説明があります。
では何故英語ではコロナ感染を防ぐための人との距離のことを "social distancing" と言うのか？
私の推測ですが、CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention、米国疾病管理予防センター)がCoronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)についてSocial Distancing: Keep a Safe Distance to Slow the Spread.と米国民に注意を促したからではないでしょうか？
CDCは米国の機関ですが、英国でも "social distancing" を使っていることはBBCのサイトに "UK social distancing rules - one metre or two metres?" があるので分かります。

a brand of brash agressiveness

角田光代の "The Eighth Day" (原題　八日目の蝉)を読んでいます。
Kiwako was attracted to Takehiro's all-out determination to get ahead. At the time, it was unusual for employees at branches of K Corporation to be transfered to Tokyo. To Kiwako, who had made only the safest choices in every aspect of her life, his brand of brash aggressiveness seemed dynamic. To Takehiko, recently arrived in Tokyo, everything seemed fresh and new; he would take Kiwako out to the cafe-bars and discos that were becoming popular at the time, and Kiwako also found this rather flashy way of spending her free time new and stimulating.
"brand of brash aggressiveness" の "brand" の意味が分からないので辞書を引きます。

・Oxford English Dictionary: A habit, trait, or quality that causes someone public shame or disgrace.: ‘the brand of Paula's alcoholism’

・Collins Dictionary: A brand of something such as a way of thinking or behaving is a particular kind of it.: The British brand of socialism was more interested in reform than revolution.

・Wiktionary: Any specific type or variety of something; a distinct style or manner.: I didn't appreciate his particular brand of flattery.
"brand" にこんな意味の使い方があるのですね。