科学者は、正しい質問を問いかける方法と、答えが、「かもしれない」ではなく、事実上、明確なイエスかノーになるほど明確にその質問を述べる方法を知っていなければならなかったのである。

Sentence Analyzer

科学者は、正しい質問を問いかける方法と、答えが、「かもしれない」ではなく、事実上、明確ないえすかノーになるほど明確にその質問を述べる方法を知っていなければならなかったのである。

English Translation

A scientist had to know how to ask the correct question and to state it so clearly that the answer would be, in effect, a definite yes or no, not "maybe".

Furigana

科学者(かがくしゃ)は、正(ただ)しい質問(しつもん)を問(と)いかける方法(ほうほう)と、答(こた)えが、「かもしれない」ではなく、事実上(じじつじょう)、明確(めいかく)なイエスかノーになるほど明確(めいかく)にその質問(しつもん)を述(の)べる方法(ほうほう)を知(し)っていなければならなかったのである。

Romanji

Kagakusha wa, tadashii shitsumon o toikakeru hōhō to, kotae ga," kamo shirenai" de wa naku, jijitsujō, meikakuna iesu ka no- ni naru hodo meikaku ni sono shitsumon o noberu hōhō o shitteinakerebanaranakatta no de aru.

Words

科学者 (かがくしゃ)

scientist

は (は)

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

正しい (ただしい)

right; correct; proper; righteous; just; honest; truthful; lawful

質問 (しつもん)

question; inquiry; enquiry

を (を)

indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.

問いかける (といかける)

to ask a question; to begin to ask a question

方法 (ほうほう)

method; process; manner; way; means; technique

と (と)

if; when; and; with; particle used for quoting (with speech, thoughts, etc.); quoting particle; promoted pawn; indicates question (sentence end)

答え (こたえ、いらえ)

answer; reply; response; solution

が (が)

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

かも (かも)

may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly

知れる (しれる)

to become known; to come to light; to be discovered; to be known; to be understood; to obviously not amount to much; to seem trivial; to be evident; to be obvious; to go without saying; to be very intense (worry, hope, etc.); to be extremely severe

で (で、にて)

indicates location of action; at; in; indicates time of action; indicates means of action; cause of effect; by; and then; so; indicates continuing action; indicates certainty, emphasis, etc.

無い (ない)

nonexistent; not being (there); unpossessed; unowned; not had; unique; indicates negation, inexperience, unnecessariness or impossibility; not ...; to not be...; to have not ...

事実上 (じじつじょう)

(as a) matter of fact; actually; in reality

明確 (めいかく)

clear; precise; definite; distinct

イエス (イエス、エス、イエズス)

Jesus; yes

か (か)

indicates a question (sometimes rhetorical); or; whether or not; some- (e.g. something, someone); indicates doubt, uncertainty, etc.; emphatic prefix; suffix forming adjectives or adverbs; in that way

ノー (ノー)

に (に)

at (place, time); in; on; during; to (direction, state); toward; into; for (purpose); because of (reason); for; with; by; from; as (i.e. in the role of); per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month"); and; in addition to; if; although

成る (なる)

to become; to get; to grow; to be; to reach; to attain; to result in; to prove to be; to consist of; to be composed of; to succeed; to be complete; to change into; to be exchanged for; to play a role; to be promoted; to do ...

程 (ほど)

degree; extent; bounds; limit; indicates approx. amount or maximum; upper limit

其の (その)

that (something or someone distant from the speaker, close to the listener; actions of the listener, or ideas expressed or understood by the listener); the; um...; er...; uh...

述べる (のべる)

to state; to express; to mention

知る (しる)

to be aware of; to know; to be conscious of; to cognize; to cognise; to notice; to feel; to understand; to comprehend; to grasp; to remember; to be acquainted with (a procedure); to experience; to go through; to learn; to be acquainted with (a person); to get to know; to concern

の (の)

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

だ (だ)

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative

或 (ある)

a certain ...; some ...