「～歳の坂を越す」

先日 the better part of という表現について書いたが、ここから頭に浮かんだのが on the right side of (the specified age) という、年齢についての言い回しである。「～歳前の、～歳未満で」 という意味になる。right の代わりに、better, bright, green, sunny などの形容詞を使ってもいいようだ。

- My father is still on the right side of sixty.

- They are both looking hale and fit on the bright side of fifty.

- a man three or four years on the green side of thirty

一方、on the wrong [far, shady, other] side of だと、「～歳を過ぎて、～歳の坂を越して」ということになる。

- being some years on the wrong side of fifty

- She looked forty, but was probably on the shady side of fifty.

ついでに、「～歳になる」といいたい時は、turn のほか、reach さらに hit といった動詞も使える。

- In 2006, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the oldest of the baby boomers will begin to turn 60.

- Life membership is available to any person who has reached sixty years of age and has completed at least twenty consecutive years as a member of the Association.

- By the time we hit fifty, we have learned our hardest lessons. We have found out that only a few things are really important. We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves.
(女優 Marie Dressler の言葉)