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この間、時間を見つけては、過去の歴史をひもといてみたのだが、再認識させられたのは、人間というのは、どれほど多くの涙とともに飲み下した教訓であっても、喉元を過ぎたとたんに忘れてしまう生き物であるということだった.

Especially what "忘れてしまう生き物" is supposed to mean in "喉元を過ぎたとたんに忘れてしまう生き物であるということだった".

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Can you understand the meaning of this: 「人間というのは、教訓を得たとたんに、その教訓を忘れてしまう生き物である」? – Gradius Nov 3 '12 at 13:45
@Gradius:"その教訓を忘れてしまう生き物である" = "In that lesson there are the forgotten ones"; is that the right translation ? – JTSKhy Nov 3 '12 at 14:08
I'm sorry but i still can't grasp the meaning, maybe a rough translation might help. – JTSKhy Nov 3 '12 at 15:39

1 Answer

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Judging from your reply to Gradius’s comment on the question, I am afraid that you have trouble understanding relative clauses.

  • 人間は生き物である。 Human is a creature.
  • 人間は教訓を忘れる生き物である。 Human is a creature which forgets lessons.

In addition, …てしまう adds the meaning of “regrettably” or “unfortunately.”

  • 人間は教訓を忘れてしまう生き物である。 Human is a creature which, regrettably, forgets lessons.

I will not try a translation of the whole sentence, but I hope that this gives you a small nudge in the right direction.

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