Apple: The third act(The Economist)

from http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9298983&logout=Y

Apple: The third act
Jun 7th 2007 | SAN FRANCISCO
From The Economist print edition

Steve Jobs has twice taken Apple to new heights. With the launch of the iPhone this month he is hoping to do so for a third time

IN ANY other setting, it would have been corny to quote from a Beatles song to sum up a three-decade relationship that has encompassed partnership and alliance, rivalry and enmity, as well as defeats, triumphs and reversals on both sides. But not when Steve Jobs of Apple was talking to Bill Gates of Microsoft after reminiscing about the old times on a conference stage last week. “You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead,” he said. And there were moist eyes in the audience.

アップル(昔の名前は「アップルコンピュータ」)のITから消費者向け商品への移行は成功しつつある。それはともかくこの記事である。ジョブズゲイツとの関係に言及した発言のあと、there were moist eyes in the audience とEconomist誌の記者は書く。プログレッシブ英和辞典では「with a moist look in one's eyes 目をうるませて」という用例があり、ウィズダム英和辞典にも「Her eyes grew moist. 彼女は涙ぐんだ」という用例がある。しかし Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English には「Her eyes were moist (=she was almost crying) .」とある。ロングマンだと「悲しくて/うれしくて泣き出さんばかりの状態を表す」のが moist eyes ということらしいが、この記事ではどうだろう。ジョブズゲイツが大人な会話をしたからといって聴衆が涙ぐむとは思えない。若干の揶揄を込めて「聴衆は(涙が出るほど)感動的な場面に遭遇することになった」という意味なのだろう。これがイギリス式ユーモア、わかりにくい。