台風進路の色々な表現

今週のテーマは“台風・豪雨”ということでお送りしていますが、先日の台風12号、アメリカのIrene、Leeといった台風に関するニュース記事を読んでいて、台風の進路や動きについて実に様々な表現が使われていることが興味深く、本日取り上げたいと思います。

まずは下記の引用から。"make landfall"という表現は、いわゆる台風の“上陸”を指しています。


Tropical cyclone Lee officially made landfall as a tropical storm Saturday afternoon along the coast of Louisiana. Up to 20 inches of rain is expected along some areas of the Gulf Coast, according to the Associated Press.
(Kristeen Moore. Tropical Cyclone Lee Brings Heavy Rainfall to Gulf Coast. Third Age. September 3, 2011.)


台風の動きについて、ごくごく普通の表現ですが、"moved slowly"はゆっくりとした動きを指しています。

Tropical Storm Lee moved slowly across the Louisiana coast at an estimated six miles per hour, according to the Associated Press. The flooding rains are directly attributed to the slow movement of the cyclone.
(ibid.)


同じゆっくりでも下記の"creep"では、“のろのろさ”を想起させられます。


Katia's creeping across the ocean at 18 miles per hour, about 1,050 miles east of the Leeward Islands (around 1,700 southeast of Bermuda) with maximum sustained winds currently near 75 mph, but according to the National Hurricane Center (NHS), it's expected to speed up dramatically over the weekend, surpassing wind speeds of 111 mph.
(Matt Peckham. Katia Reaches Hurricane Strength as Tropical Cyclone Looms in Gulf. September 1, 2011.)


下記の引用での"churn toward"はかなり特徴的な表現だと思われます。"churn"とは撹拌器のことですが、つまりは台風による暴風が周囲を“撹拌している”様を表現しているわけで、強い勢力を保ちながら移動している、といった感じでしょうか。


Newly christened Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Katia are both churning towards the United States, and while both are days away from impacting New Jersey, they bear watching as our waterlogged state tries to dry out from Hurricane Irene.
(Stephen Stirling. Tropical Storm Lee, Hurricane Katia pose tricky N.J. forecast for next week. NJ.com. September 2, 2011.)


下記の"crawled ashore"は、やはり緩慢な動きを表現していますが、"ashore"という副詞をつけることで、”上陸した”ことも意味しています。


Slow moving Tropical Storm Lee finally crawled ashore early Sunday morning along the Lousiana coast line while causing high surf and torrential downpours across Florida's panhandle and affecting weather as far away as Tampa Bay.
(Mike Hennessy. Tampa Bay to feel Lee's impact through Tuesday. Examiner. September 4, 2011.)


下記の"inch toward"も同じです。


People down in Cypremort Point are already taking precautions as Tropical Storm Lee inches toward the bay. During the day Friday, Lee didn't seem too threatening in Cypremort Point, but people there aren't taking any chances.
(Maddie Garrett. Cypremort Point Braces for Storm. KATC.com. September 2, 2011.)


下記で使われている"trudge"という単語は、"tread"と"drudge"の合成語です。重たい足を引きずってとぼとぼと歩く様ですが、やはり大型の台風が少しずつ進路をとっている様子を表しています。


Tropical storm Irene continues to trudge through New England, knocking out power to millions of homes and businesses, destroying piers and killing more than a dozen people. In Maine, Meteorologist Tom Hawley of the National Weather Service says rain has tapered off in the southwestern part of the state. But it continues to be heavy in other places, especially the western mountains.
(High Winds and Flooding Focused on Western Maine. MPBN.net. August 28, 2011.)


日本の報道での表現だと“ゆっくりと北上”など、決まりきった表現しか使われないのに対して、英語のそれは色々な表現があって面白いと思いませんか？