あまり

Conjunction (used in writing and formal speech only) (Intermediate ㊥ 3)

A conjunction which marks a cause that involves excessive action.

Equivalent: Because of too much ~; because ~ too much; so ~ that ~

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Formation

(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

Notes

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).

a. 私はその晚あまり興奮した{ので/ために}寝られなかった。[= Key Sentence (A)]

b. この教科書はあまり文法を重視した{ので/ために}面白くないものになってしまった。[= Key Sentence (B)]

(⇨ あまり㊦)

2. Adjective い and Adjective な cannot precede あまり, as seen in (2) and (3).

私は{悲しみの/*悲しい}あまり涙も出なかった。
I was so sad that I couldn't even cry (literally: even tears didn't come out).

彼らは{心配の/*心配な}あまり食事も喉を通らない様子だった。
It looked like they were so anxious that they couldn't even eat (literally: even foods didn't go through their throats).

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.

この教科書は文法を重視したあまり面白くないものになってしまった。 [= Key Sentence (B)]

【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]

a. 私はその晚興奮{のあまり/しすぎて}寝られなかった。 [= Key Sentence (A)]

b. この教科書は文法を重視{するあまり/しすぎて}面白くないものになってしまった。 [= Key Sentence (B)]

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]

昨日ビールを飲むあまり今日頭が痛い。

Yesterday I drank too much beer and I have a headache today.

Correct Formation: 昨日あまりビールを飲んだ{ので/ために}今日頭が痛い。

[3]

*疲れのあまり食欲がない。
I am so tired that I have no appetite.

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㊦)