Kazuo Ishiguroの "The Remains of the Day" を読み終わりました。
PROLOGUE - JULY 1956の最後の方に次の文があります。
...for a great many people, the evening is the most enjoyable part of the day. I should cease looking back so much, that I should adopt a more positive outlook and try to make the best of what remains of my day.
小説の題名はここから来ているのですね。
続けて "penultimate paragraph" から引用します。
I naturally assumed at first that they were a group of friends out together for the evening. But as I listened to their exchanges, it became apparent they were strangers who had just happened upon one another here on this spot behind me. Evidently, they had all paused a moment for the lights coming on, and then proceeded to fall into conversation with one another. As I watch them now, they are laughing together merrily. It is curious how people can build such warmth among themselves so swiftly. It is possible these particular persons are simply united by the anticipation of the evening ahead. But, then, I rather fancy it has more to do with this skill of bantering. Listening to them now, I can hear them exchanging one bantering remark after another. It is, I would suppose, the way many people like to proceed. In fact, it is possible my bench companion of a while ago expected me to banter with him – in which case, I suppose I was something of a sorry disappointment. Perhaps it is indeed time I began to look at this whole matter of bantering more enthusiastically. After all, when one thinks about it, it is not such a foolish thing to indulge in – particularly if it is the case that in bantering lies the key to human warmth.
主人公のStevensは昔気質の執事で、昔一緒に働いていた女性（Ms Kenton）に会いに行った旅行中に過去のことを色々と回想するのですが、過去には "dignity" に非常にこだわっていた事や、父親の死や、一緒に働いていた、恐らくほのかな恋心を抱いていた、Ms Kentonが去る際にも仕事最優先の滅私奉公だった人生を反省している様子、しかし、過去を振り返るのを止め、残りの人生をもっと前向きに生きようと決心し、"bantering" に励もうと考えています。
"bantering" で、同時通訳者だった故村松増美氏が「ニュージーランドとオーストラリアは "bantering" できる間柄だ」と言っていたのを思い出しました。（１０年以上前に無くなった前のブログで同じ事を書いた気がする）
"banter" についてはVocabulary.comにあった次の説明を引用します。
Good friends usually banter back and forth easily, like they're trying to keep a step ahead of each other in witty responses. This type of banter is their special language of friendship.
Banter is both a noun and a verb about talking. It comes from unknown origins, but even as a word, it seems to be playful and teasing. You can engage in banter with friends, siblings, parents, and even good-natured strangers. Banter usually ends with everyone feeling better for the talk and verbal play. Joking, joshing, and teasing are all related to banter.
PROLOGUE - JULY 1956の最後の方に次の文があります。
...for a great many people, the evening is the most enjoyable part of the day. I should cease looking back so much, that I should adopt a more positive outlook and try to make the best of what remains of my day.
小説の題名はここから来ているのですね。
続けて "penultimate paragraph" から引用します。
I naturally assumed at first that they were a group of friends out together for the evening. But as I listened to their exchanges, it became apparent they were strangers who had just happened upon one another here on this spot behind me. Evidently, they had all paused a moment for the lights coming on, and then proceeded to fall into conversation with one another. As I watch them now, they are laughing together merrily. It is curious how people can build such warmth among themselves so swiftly. It is possible these particular persons are simply united by the anticipation of the evening ahead. But, then, I rather fancy it has more to do with this skill of bantering. Listening to them now, I can hear them exchanging one bantering remark after another. It is, I would suppose, the way many people like to proceed. In fact, it is possible my bench companion of a while ago expected me to banter with him – in which case, I suppose I was something of a sorry disappointment. Perhaps it is indeed time I began to look at this whole matter of bantering more enthusiastically. After all, when one thinks about it, it is not such a foolish thing to indulge in – particularly if it is the case that in bantering lies the key to human warmth.
主人公のStevensは昔気質の執事で、昔一緒に働いていた女性（Ms Kenton）に会いに行った旅行中に過去のことを色々と回想するのですが、過去には "dignity" に非常にこだわっていた事や、父親の死や、一緒に働いていた、恐らくほのかな恋心を抱いていた、Ms Kentonが去る際にも仕事最優先の滅私奉公だった人生を反省している様子、しかし、過去を振り返るのを止め、残りの人生をもっと前向きに生きようと決心し、"bantering" に励もうと考えています。
"bantering" で、同時通訳者だった故村松増美氏が「ニュージーランドとオーストラリアは "bantering" できる間柄だ」と言っていたのを思い出しました。（１０年以上前に無くなった前のブログで同じ事を書いた気がする）
"banter" についてはVocabulary.comにあった次の説明を引用します。
Good friends usually banter back and forth easily, like they're trying to keep a step ahead of each other in witty responses. This type of banter is their special language of friendship.
Banter is both a noun and a verb about talking. It comes from unknown origins, but even as a word, it seems to be playful and teasing. You can engage in banter with friends, siblings, parents, and even good-natured strangers. Banter usually ends with everyone feeling better for the talk and verbal play. Joking, joshing, and teasing are all related to banter.
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