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Conjunction (used in writing and formal speech only)
| A conjunction which marks a cause that involves excessive action. | Because of too much~; because~ too much; so~ that~ |
| 【Related Expression: 過ぎる】 | |
(ksa). 私はその晩興奮のあまり寝られなかった。
I was so excited that I couldn't sleep that night.
(ksb). この教科書は文法を重視するあまり面白くないものになってしまった。
This textbook has turned out to be an uninteresting one because it stressed grammar too much.
| (i)Noun | のあまり | |
| 心配のあまり | Because of too much anxiety | |
| (ii)Vinformal | あまり | |
| 用心するあまり | Someone is so cautious that |
(a). 秋子は恐怖のあまり声も出なかった。
Akiko was so frightened that she couldn't even make a sound.
(b). 私は喜びのあまり思わず隣の人に抱きついてしまった。
I was so happy that I hugged the person beside me without thinking.
(c). 日本の英語教育は文法が強調されるあまり会話力の養成が疎かになっているようだ。
As for English education in Japan, it seems that because grammar is emphasized too much, the development of conversational skills is neglected.
(d). 今度の会合は形式を重んずるあまり内容が乏しくなってしまった。
The last meeting ended up having little content because it focused too much on formalities.
1. Clauses and phrases involving the conjunction あまり can be rephrased using the adverb あまり and the conjunction ので or ために, as in (1).
(⇨ あまり㊦)
2. Adjective い and Adjective な cannot precede あまり, as seen in (2) and (3).
3. Verb informal can be either past or nonoast when it represents a past action or event, as in (4), although the nonpast form is more common.
【Related Expression】
The auxiliary verb 過ぎる expresses a similar idea. For example, Key Sentence (A) and (B) can be rephrased using 過ぎる, as in[1].
[1]
However, there are some differences between あまり and 過ぎる. First, あまり is always a part of an adverbial clause or phrase which expresses a cause. 過ぎる, however, does not always express cause and can be in the predicate of a main clause. Second, あまり is used only when the verb or noun represents a psychological action or state. Thus, the following sentences are unacceptable.
[2]
[3]
Third, 過ぎる is used in both spoken and written Japanese while あまり is limited in use to formal written Japanese.
(⇨ 過ぎる㊦)