overbearing
フィンランドの教育に関する記事です。フィンランドは，国際的な学力調査で高ランクに入る教育水準のハイレベルな国として有名でした。しかし，近年では，アジアの教育水準が高まりつつあり，これに対抗するために教育制度を改めるようです。
記事の中で気になった単語は"overbearing"です。『Wisdom英和辞典第三版』（三省堂）によると「（人が）高圧的な，横柄な，（物が）圧倒的な」などという意味がありました。ODでは，"Unpleasantly overpowering"とあります。これではよくわからないので，さらに"overpowering"を見ると"Extremely strong or intense; overwhelming"とありました。圧倒的な強さを示したいときに使う単語のようです。（Ume）
Finns aren't what they used to be
No international education conference is complete without a reference to Finland.
Ever since it appeared at the top of international league tables more than a decade ago, it has been endlessly hailed as how to run an education system.
Finland, which faces a general election this week, has been the poster child for education reform and overseas delegations have made pilgrimages to learn from its example.
In particular it has been used to argue that you can have high results without an overbearing system of testing and inspection.
It was the country where pupils did not have to start school until they were seven, enjoyed the longest holidays and then basked in the glow of global approval when they topped the tables in the international Pisa tests.
