My Concern for My Friend and His Lack of Interest in Women
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I am worried about my friend, Will, who used to be interested in women but now seems to have lost his enthusiasm.
Despite our close friendship and shared experiences with women, Will no longer shows much interest in them.
I've tried to get him to be more spontaneous and engaged, but he doesn't respond as he used to.
よろしくお願いします
I am a man in my 60s. I'm writing out of concern for my friend. "Will" and I are the same age; in fact, we share a birthday. He and I became well-acquainted in childhood and were very attached to each other. But then, in my early teens, our relationship took on a new and unanticipated aspect. We found that we shared an interest in girls, and as we grew through our teens and into our early 20s, we had many adventures together.
When I married, Will was there and always supportive. It wouldn't have been the same without him, and I'm sure my wife would agree. I never minded in the least the interest he showed in her.
But now, Will seems to have lost much of his get-up-and-go. He no longer shows much interest in my wife or in any other woman. I've tried to get him to be more spontaneous, telling him stories and showing him pictures that he used to like, but I barely get a rise out of him.
I've tried to get himはI've tried getting himではなくそのような形なのはなぜでしょうか?あと、ここでのget a rise out ofはどのような意味でしょうか?よろしくお願いします
>I've tried to get himはI've tried getting himではなくそのような形なのはなぜでしょうか?
⇒try to ~ は「~しようとする、試みる」、 try ~ingは「実際に~してみる」で、
確かに似たような意味ですが、この場合、「彼をもっと自発的にさせる(=♂としての野生を発揮させる)という「目的」に向っているわけですから、try ~ingよりtry to ~の方が幾分か「よりふさわしい」表現と言えるでしょう。その程度の違いで、「try ~ingを使うことはできない」というほどの環境ではないとも考えられますが。
>あと、ここでのget a rise out ofはどのような意味でしょうか?
⇒「(私の思うように彼を)かき立てること(はほとんどできなかった)」。
get a rise out of ~は口語表現で、(1)「~をからかって怒らせる」のほかに、(2)「~をかき立てて思うつぼに誘い込む」というニュアンスで用いられます。この場合は、「いろんな手で彼の男性性を呼び戻そうとしてみた」という場面ですから、(2)の方の意味に近いですね。
☆しかし、思うに60歳代でしょう? しかも、おそらくずっと独身だった。つまり、ずっと男性機能を使わなかった=「廃用症候群」という自然の摂理が作用して男性機能を喪失した。という状況から考えて、男の野生が蘇らなくても不思議はありませんよね。
お礼
ご回答ありがとうございます