awe-inspiring 復習

　なぜモナリザが世界的に有名になったかご存知ですか。

Why do we care so much about the Mona Lisa?

There’s a palpable sense of unease that tends to afflict tourists when they look upon something the world has deemed awe-inspiring and feel not a single ounce of interest. Stonehenge is just some rocks. The Grand Canyon’s just a hole. And Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa? It’s just a painting. A kinda boring one. It’s also—as you’ll know if you’ve ever had the opportunity to see it—really, really small.

For those unaware of its history, it’s easy to feel as if you’re missing something, that your brain lacks the necessary wrinkle to appreciate true art. But the truth is that the Mona Lisa’s appeal has less to do with its content than it does its history, the likes of which is lost to most that travel to gaze upon it. Luckily, Great Big Story is here to illuminate you.

（一部抜粋）

http://www.avclub.com/article/why-do-we-care-so-much-about-mona-lisa-258671

　今回はawe-inspiring /ˈɔːɪnspʌɪərɪŋ/に注目しました。

　『ジーニアス英和辞典』（第五版，大修館）で調べたところ、「畏敬の念を起こさせる，荘厳な」と載っておりました。Oxford Dictionary of English(Second Edition Reserved, Oxford University Press)には、 “arousing awe through being impressive or formidable”と書かれておりました。

　awe自体で「畏れ，畏敬の念」という意味を持ちます。そこにinspiringが加わってできた単語のようです。これに関連して以前UG先生がawesomeの本当の意味を教えてくださったことを思い出しました。（Gomez）