ofとfor
英語を母語としない人を悩ます品詞の中で、前置詞はとりわけ難解です。意味が近いものも多く、似たものの区別をつけるルールも存在しません。ここでは、互いに混同されることが特に多い前置詞として「of」と「for」を考察します。
前置詞の正しい用法を覚えるのに、用例を熟考することによって、微妙な差異の直感的な理解を身につけるしかありません。つまり、前置詞の誤用を(「そのような意味がない」といったもの以外は)解説しようがないことが多いのです。という訳で、ここでは「of」と「for」の典型的な取り違えを示す例文を列挙だけします。
ofが正しい用法
(1) [誤] The results for this experiment are displayed in Table 1.
(1) [正] The results of this experiment are displayed in Table 1.
(2) [誤] Here, we study a model for cloud formation.
(2) [正] Here, we study a model of cloud formation.
(3) [誤] However, this is not a solution for Eq. (5.1).
(3) [正] However, this is not a solution of Eq. (5.1).
forが正しい用法
(4) [誤] The scaling relation of the size is derived below.
(4) [正] The scaling relation for the size is derived below.
(5) [誤] Here, we present a method of reducing such systematic error.
(5) [正] Here, we present a method for reducing such systematic error.
(6) [誤] The reason of this behavior is described below.
(6) [正] The reason for this behavior is described below.
(7) [誤] A sufficient condition of the existence of these curves is derived
(7) [誤] in Section 2.
(7) [正] A sufficient condition for the existence of these curves is derived
(7) [正] in Section 2.