floundering
もがいている
解説 Definition
floundering は flounder（もがく、苦しみながら進む）の動名詞・現在分詞です。物理的にもがく場合にも、問題に直面してうまく進めない状態にも使われます。
Floundering is the present participle or gerund of flounder. It describes struggling with uncontrolled movements or making little effective progress because of confusion, difficulty, or a lack of direction.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
floundering は flounder「もがく、苦戦する」の語末の e を取って -ing を付けた現在分詞・動名詞で、発音は /ˈflaʊndərɪŋ/。荒波で手足をばたつかせる泳者を核の映像にし、そこから team is floundering のような「方針が分からず苦戦中」へ広げて覚えましょう。
Link floundering to the base verb flounder, then note the spelling change: the final silent e is dropped before -ing. Pronounce it /ˈflaʊndərɪŋ/. The central image is a swimmer moving awkwardly and desperately in rough water without making useful progress. Transfer that image to an abstract difficulty: a team can be floundering when nobody understands a new system. Unlike simply working hard, floundering suggests ineffective struggle, confusion, or lack of direction. Useful patterns include be floundering in the water, floundering with a task, and a floundering business.
例文
The swimmer was floundering in the rough water.
その泳者は荒れた水の中でもがいていました。
The team is floundering because no one understands the new system.
誰も新しいシステムを理解していないため、そのチームは苦戦しています。
After several failed attempts, he was still floundering with the difficult task.
何度か失敗したあとも、彼はその難しい課題にまだ悪戦苦闘していました。
floundering の類義語・関連語
派生語
floundering の語源・成り立ち Etymology
flounder は中英語 flounderen にさかのぼり、泥や水中でばたばたともがく動きが核です。語源は北欧語系とされ、魚が暴れる像から「うまく進めず苦闘する」意味へ。関連語は flounder, floundered。
Floundering is formed from flounder plus -ing, with the final silent e removed. The verb flounder is recorded from late Middle English and has long described struggling or stumbling about clumsily. Its deeper origin is uncertain, although it may be connected with Germanic or Scandinavian forms describing awkward movement. The figurative sense naturally developed from physical thrashing to ineffective struggle with a task, plan, or difficult situation.
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