#70 網野善彦『「日本」とは何か』
人類社会の歴史を人間の一生にたとえてみるならば、いまや人類は間違いなく青年時代をこえ、壮年時代に入ったといわざるをえない。
Vocabulary:
網野善彦 あみのよしひこ Amino Yoshihiko (historian, 1928-2004)
人類社会 じんるいしゃかい human society
歴史 れきし history
一生 いっしょう a lifetime, one’s entire life
たとえる to liken, to compare
いまや currently, at present, now
人類 じんるい mankind
間違いなく まちがいなく no doubt, without a doubt
青年時代 せいねんじだい one’s youth, one’s younger years
こえる to surpass, to move beyond
壮年時代 そうねんじだい one’s maturity, prime of one’s life
Grammar:
~ざるをえない
This pattern follows the mizenkei-form of the verb and means something along the lines of “must” or “have to”. It is often used in more formal or academic contexts, such as today’s excerpt.
Translation:
If one were to liken the history of human society to the life of a human being, then one would have to state that, without a doubt, mankind has moved beyond its youth and entered its maturity.
Amazon.jp link for the book I used:
Ohh, I like that you also use academic books! I've been getting your newsletter for a little over a week now and I'm really glad I found it, you do an amazing work here. :) Thank you!
人間=にんげん(mankind) or じんかん( the world), because the translation uses two meanings, is it correct to assume we have to use two readings here? Thank you in advance!