「英語のニュースを読むコツ」シリーズにようこそ。
英語のニュース記事では、よく使われる表現があります。そういった表現の意味や役割を分かっておくと、ニュース記事が読みやすくなります。今回注目する表現は、「(This) comes . . .」です。
意味・役割
「(This) comes . . .」という表現は、記事で報じている出来事の背景（文脈）を伝えるために使われます。何か新しい展開や出来事があった場合、そういった出来事を正確に理解するためには、それらが起きた背景に何があるのか、どういう文脈があるのかを知ることが重要だからです。
「(This)」の部分が記事で報じている出来事を指しており、「come」という動詞は「（事が）起こる（happen）」という意味で、「. . .」の部分が出来事の背景に何があるのかを示します。
「(This) comes . . .」という表現は、記事で報じている出来事への言及の後の部分で使われます。
例を２つ見てみましょう。原文の下には、参考程度のための和訳を添えます。
On Tuesday, Tennessee House Republicans passed a bill allowing teachers and other school staff to be armed in public schools. This comes a little over a year after a lone shooter killed three children and three adults at a private school in Nashville, the state’s deadliest mass shooting ever. (NBC News)
このニュース記事は、テネシー州で公立学校の教員や職員の武装を認める法案を可決したという出来事を報じていますが、法案可決の背景として1年ほど前に同州史上最悪の銃乱射事件あったということに言及しています。
The CDC issued an urgent warning as flu hospitalizations have spiked 200 percent over the last four weeks. This comes as hospitalizations for RSV and Covid are surging as well. (NBC News)
CDCが緊急警告を発した直接的な理由はインフルエンザによる入院患者数がこの４週間で200％増加したからですが、背景には、RSウイルス及び新型コロナによる入院患者急増ということもあるのだと伝えています。
このように、報道している出来事の背景となっている文脈に言及するという報道記事の傾向は日本語のニュース記事にも見られることです。NHKニュースからの引用を２つ見てみましょう。背景となっている文脈に下線を引きます。
中東での緊張の高まりを受けて、外務省は5日、イスラエルに隣接するレバノンの危険情報を引き上げ、全土を対象に最も高いレベル4の「退避勧告」を出しました。 (NHK)
外務省がレバノンに関するの危険情報をレベル4の「退避勧告」に引き上げたという出来事を報じているのですが、その背景には中東での緊張の高まりがあるということに言及しています。
週明けの5日の債券市場では円高株安が急速に進む中、長期金利の代表的な指標となっている10年ものの国債の利回りが一時、4か月ぶりの低い水準となる、0.750％まで低下しました。(NHK)
10年ものの国債の利回りが一時0.750％まで低下したという新たな展開を報じているこのニュースでは、その背景となる文脈として債券市場で円高株安が急速に進んでいるということに言及しています。
「This」の代わりに使われる頻出語句
「(This) comes . . .」という表現で「This」に括弧を付けた理由は、多くの場合「This」が使われているのですが、別の単語や語句が「This」の代わりに使われることもあるからです。
頻繫に見られるのは「The move」（「この動き」等と訳せます）ですが、他のどんな名詞句でも、そこに入る可能性はあります。
要するに、当該ニュースが何に関するニュースなのかによるわけです。ニュース記事が報道している出来事を、単に「This」という単語で指し示すことが出来れば、「This」が使われるでしょうし、別の語句のほうが適切だと記者や編集者が感じたら、その別の語句を使うということになります。
「The move comes . . .」
まず、「The move」が使われている用例を見ましょう。当該語句及び「comes」に下線を引きます。
Congressional leaders on Thursday invited South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to address a joint meeting of Congress on April 27. … The move comes as the U.S. continues efforts to strengthen its relationships with parts of Asia amid worsening tensions with China. (NBC News)
Lebanon’s government resigned Monday as the fallout from last week’s deadly explosion deepened a political crisis in the country’s blast-ravaged capital. … The move comes after enraged protesters and world leaders alike demanded political reform following the Aug. 4 blast that killed almost 160 people and injured thousands more. (NBC News)
The New York Times said Monday that it was ending its partnership with Apple News, depriving the iPhone giant of the ability to post its articles in its curated news app. The move comes as The Times is investing in its subscription business and weaning itself off advertising revenue, the majority of which now goes either to or through tech giants such as Google and Facebook. (NBC News)
The Pentagon is moving U.S. military assets closer to Israel and Lebanon to be ready to evacuate Americans as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies. … The move comes as tensions continue to mount and cross-border fire increases between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. (NBC News)
「The move」以外の語句＋comes
では「comes」の主語に、別の語句が使われている例をみてみましょう。
Once seen as a cautious policy dove, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda is now presenting himself as a determined hawk who’s not afraid to lift interest rates a few more times, even in the face of a weakening economy. A change in Ueda’s commentary comes as the central bank grows more confident that steady wage gains will revive consumption, and reflects concerns that leaving rates low for too long could keep the yen weak and lead to a painful, unpopular inflation overshoot. (Reuters)
Worries over tech earnings and a slowing U.S. economy slammed the Nasdaq Composite index on Friday as it extended recent declines to fall 10% below its record high, confirming it was in correction territory. … The Nasdaq’s tumble comes as investors turn more wary of the highly valued tech stocks that have led the charge higher for most of the year, driven by excitement over the potential of artificial intelligence. (Reuters)
Karra and her husband, Thanasis Zouzoulas, have no recorded cases of the disease. But they have to disinfect trucks that come to load milk on their farm. The ban on movements means they cannot buy more animals to bulk up their flock, although they are allowed to sell the milk. … The virus comes as the couple still struggles with the consequences of record September storms that flooded about 35,000 acres in Thessaly plain, which accounts for 25% of Greece’s agricultural produce and 5% of Greece’s GDP. (Reuters)
Apple is expected to launch this fall what analysts have called the biggest software upgrade for the iPhone. It includes artificial intelligence features and comes at a time when rivals such as Samsung have been quicker to roll out similar services. (Reuters)
Hungary’s competition watchdog has imposed a fine of 770,000 euros ($839,916) on Wizz Air for misleading communication, the authority said on its website on Saturday. Hungary’s competition authority said Wizz Air breached professional due diligence and was misleading in how it described its automatic check-in service and pushed consumers towards more expensive packages. … The fine comes after Wizz Air lowered its annual profit forecast earlier this week after reporting a 44% drop in its first-quarter operating profit, partly owing to costs related to Pratt & Whitney engine troubles and one-off wet leases to bolster capacity. (Reuters)
More than 100 venture capitalists including entrepreneur Mark Cuban threw their support behind U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Wednesday, a counterweight to tech billionaires backing Republican rival Donald Trump. … “We spend our days looking for, investing in and supporting entrepreneurs who are building the future. We are pro-business, pro-American dream, pro-entrepreneurship, and pro-technological progress,” the group said in a public petition posted online. … Wednesday’s letter from venture capitalists comes after Trump drew support from other wealthy, high-profile Silicon Valley venture capitalists and investors. (Reuters)
The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners will vote Monday whether to award two contracts to vastly expand the aging Tom Bradley International Terminal to accommodate more people and larger planes. However, the decision comes at a time when airlines are in a financial slump and the number of overseas passengers at LAX has dipped. (NBC News)
McDonald’s is working to introduce a value meal in U.S. stores to help offset an increasingly challenging environment for consumers, two people familiar with the matter told CNBC. … The potential new offering comes at a time when low-income consumers are beginning to pull back on spending, particularly at fast-food brands. (NBC News)
「(This) comes」の後に来る表現
次に「(This) comes」の後に来る表現、つまり背景となっている文脈に言及する表現を見ていきます。上の用例の中でも、「(This) comes」の後に様々な表現が使われていましたね。使われる頻度の比較的高い表現の用例をいくつか見ることにします。
(This) comes as
Russia attacked Ukraine with another barrage of drones. This comes as additional U.S. funding for Kyiv’s efforts to defend itself faces hurdles in a divided U.S. Congress. (VOA)
The administration has also authorized another $100 million worth of lethal military aid to Ukraine. … This comes as the Justice Department cracks down on Russian cybercrime, announcing yesterday that they’ve shut down the largest criminal marketplace in the world, which was based in Russia. (NBC News)
One person has died near Ruidoso, New Mexico, from a wildfire. This comes as the governor of New Mexico has declared a state of emergency due to wildfires raging across the state. (NBC News)
(This) comes after
このパターンでは「after」の前に「a year」や「days」等時間の長さを表す表現が使われる場合もあります。
The study from INRIX, a transportation data company, found that as of June, national mall visitor numbers exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 5%. This comes after visitation dropped by 91% in April 2020, the height of the pandemic. (U.S. News & World Report)
Over the next few weeks, Meta will begin to block people in Canada from viewing or posting news links and audiovisual news content on Instagram and Facebook. This comes after the country passed Bill C-18 in June, now the Online News Act, a law that requires Big Tech to pay local news outlets fees for showing their content. (NBC News)
Sweden launched a groundbreaking new law on Monday that allows grandparents to step in and get paid parental leave while taking care of their grandchildren for up to three months of a child’s first year. The development comes after the Swedish parliament, the 349-seat Riksdag, approved last December the government’s proposal on transfer of parental allowance. This comes 50 years after the Scandinavian country became the first in the world to introduce paid parental leave for fathers and not just mothers. (AP)
The mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut, announced Monday that the police department’s handling of the investigation into the death of a 23-year-old Black woman found unresponsive in her apartment in December by a man she had met on a Bumble date has been referred to its Office of Internal Affairs for an independent investigation. This comes just days after an attorney for the woman’s family said they plan to sue the city over what they described as the police department’s “racially insensitive” handling of the case. (NBC News)
Apple Inc has acquired Mira, a Los Angeles-based AR startup that makes headsets for other companies and the U.S. military, the Verge reported on Tuesday, citing a post from Mira CEO’s private Instagram account and a person familiar with the matter. This comes a day after Apple unveiled a costly augmented-reality headset called the Vision Pro, one of its riskiest bets since the introduction of the iPhone more than a decade ago, barging into a market dominated by Meta Platforms. (Reuters).
The cop whose illegal chokehold killed Eric Garner will not be charged with a crime, the AP is reporting. The Staten Island District Attorney’s office announced that a grand jury opted not to indict New York police officer Daniel Pantoleo. … The grand jury’s decision comes barely a week after Missouri police officer Darren Wilson was not indicted for fatally shooting unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, prompting riots in Ferguson, Missouri, and protests across the country. (U.S. News & World Report)
(This) comes on the heels of
As Axios reported, President Joe Biden’s team is now getting some backup from a highly credible group of economists. “Sixteen Nobel prize-winning economists are jumping into the presidential campaign with a stark warning: Former President Trump’s plans would reignite inflation and cause lasting harm to the global economy if he wins in November….” This comes on the heels of a recent New York Times report that noted that “several” of the former president’s proposals “would instead put new upward pressure on prices, according to interviews with half a dozen economists.” (NBC News)
For-profit college giant Corinthian Colleges abruptly announced Sunday it will immediately close its remaining 28 campuses, a move that will affect roughly 16,000 students. The closure – effective Monday – comes on the heels of a hefty $30 million fine the Department of Education levied against the company for publicizing falsified data that were misleading to students. (U.S. News & World Report)
Three of the largest wildfires in California’s history are all now burning at the same time. … What makes the situation so troubling is that it comes on the heels of the hottest month in the state’s history. (U.S. News & World Report)
(This) comes amid
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Tonga on Tuesday as he continued his regional island-hopping tour a day after failing to ink an ambitious deal with 10 South Pacific nations. … His tour comes amid growing international concerns about Beijing’s military and financial ambitions in the region. (AP)
Three European nations announced Wednesday they will formally recognize a Palestinian state, a landmark move that drew a swift rebuke from Israel and praise from Palestinians. It comes amid a spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (NBC News)
Today, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov held a 90-minute meeting in Geneva with no clear path forward. … Today’s latest high stakes meeting comes amid claims from Ukraine’s military intelligence services that Russia is sending mercenary with tanks and artillery units into rebel held territories in eastern Ukraine. (NBC News)
Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowksi has cut ties with sponsor Huawei. It comes amid claims the Chinese tech company is helping Russia following their invasion of Ukraine. (Sun)
(This) comes at a time when
Here’s another odd development in a presidential campaign that’s been filled with them: Republican candidate Jeb Bush is having his brother George W. Bush, the controversial former president, headline a fundraiser for him in New York. This comes at a time when Jeb is having difficulty separating himself from his brother’s record and when Jeb insists that he wants to stand on his own and not be considered part of a dynasty. (U.S. News & World Report)
The United Auto Workers strike against the Detroit Three automakers entered its third day on Sunday with no immediate resolution on the horizon. … The coordinated strike comes at a time when Americans’ approval of labor unions is at its highest point in decades even as membership in unions remains largely unchanged. (Reuters)
Gov. Jay Inslee is running a presidential campaign unlike any other. The Washington governor is basing his run on the fundamental organizing premise that the climate crisis is more important than anything else. It’s a unique strategy that comes at a time when more and more people are recognizing the urgency of the climate crisis. (NBC News)
(This) comes on top of
More companies are beating sales predictions than at any other point since the recession ended in June 2009. This surprise comes on top of eight straight quarters of beating analysts’ profit forecasts. (AP)
Cuba will administer experimental Covid-19 shots to nearly the entire population of the capital Havana by May as health authorities carry out massive interventional studies and late stage trials, officials said on Tuesday. … That comes on top of one it has already started for 150,000 frontline workers in the city, which is estimated to have 2.1 million inhabitants. (Reuters)
(This) comes against a backdrop
The state food safety watchdog ordered the temporary closure of four McDonald’s restaurants in Moscow on Wednesday, over what it said were sanitary violations but which comes against a backdrop of worsening U.S.-Russian ties over Ukraine. (NBC News)
Taiwan scrambled fighter jets Friday after accusing Chinese planes of buzzing the island during a visit by a senior State Department official. … The escalation comes against a backdrop of Washington’s worsening relations with Beijing, and its closer ties with Taipei and appeared to be a response to the visit to Taiwan by Keith Krach, the U.S. undersecretary for economic affairs. (NBC News)
Shares of China Evergrande were halted after plunging over 20% in early trading on Monday after a Hong Kong court ruled to liquidate the embattled property developer. It comes against the backdrop of a spiraling debt crisis in the country. (NBC News)
In recent weeks, Donald Trump’s national security team has contradicted the president on a wide variety of fronts, including Iran, North Korea, Russia, border security, and the nature of the ISIS threat. It comes against a backdrop in which U.S. intelligence officials have alerted the public to the fact that the president is hostile toward any information that challenges his preconceived ideas. (NBC News)
(This) comes despite
The White House has told Congress it plans to send more than $1bn (£800m) in new weapons to Israel. This comes despite the US being opposed to a full-scale invasion by the Israeli military on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. (BBC)
Alabama is seeking to carry out another nitrogen gas execution, months after the state became the first to put a person to death with the previously untested method. … The request comes despite ongoing disagreement and litigation over what happened at the first execution using nitrogen. (AP)
(This) comes in response to
The EPA’s waiver, which applies to Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, suspends federal anti-smog rules that require the sale of less volatile but more expensive gasoline in the summer. The agency often issues such waivers to places hit by unforeseen supply disruptions. The waiver applies through Aug. 20, the EPA said. It comes in response to requests from governors of the four states. (Reuters)
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has ordered a review of the “order of precedence” of the newly-created Distinguished Warfare Medal, which would have been awarded to drone operators, according to Department of Defense officials. The investigation comes in response to concerns from lawmakers and veterans groups who said the medal, which would have been considered more prestigious than the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, could be insulting to soldiers who served in active combat. (U.S. News & World Report)
ちなみに、これまでに見てきた表現以外にも、「(This) comes in advance of」や「(This) comes because」など様々な語句が使われます。
こういった表現の別の使われ方
上で見た「as」、「after」、「on the heels of」、「amid」、「at a time when」等という表現は、「(This) comes …」の「…」の部分とは別のところでも使われます。
例えば、「at a time when」などが文頭で使われるということも頻繁にあります。用例を３つ見ましょう。
At a time when women’s sports are having a moment that is turning into a movement, and as the U.S. women’s volleyball team fights for the gold medal on Sunday against Italy, I believe more than ever that volleyball should be a featured sport of the Summer Games. (NBC News)
At a time when the accurate teaching of history is under attack, it’s heartening to see the USPS highlighting Americans who saw the evil of racism and fought against it. (NBC News)
At a time when state governments wield more power than ever, it’s essential that women get involved and at a minimum know who you support locally. (NBC News)
文頭ではないものの、「(This) comes」以外の表現とともに使われている例も一つ見てみましょう。
The intra-party fight over replacing Biden would be divisive and tumultuous at a time when Democrats want and need to be focusing their political fire at the GOP ticket. (NBC News)
まとめ
今回は、「(This) comes . . .」という表現に注目しました。この表現は、ニュース記事で報じている出来事の背景となっている文脈に言及するために使われます。
英語ニュースで頻繁に使われる表現の意味や役割などを知っておくと、ニュース記事がますます読みやすくなります。
* * * * *
★ ニュース記事で頻繁に省略される単語やフレーズについては、こちら ⇩ をご覧ください。
★ 時事英語（英語のニュース）の頻出単語・表現を集中的に学習する教材をお探しでしたら、こちらで ⇩ おすすめ教材を紹介していますのでご覧ください。
★ ところで、ニュース記事全体の見出しの読み方については、こちら ⇩ をご覧ください。
