bankster

JTがbanksterという表現を紹介しています。「銀行家」と「強盗」という２つの単語からつくられたカバン語（portmanteau word）であるこの言葉，業界ではどう訳されているのでしょうか。まさか「銀行強盗」ではないですよね。「強欲銀行家」？
「 シャイロック」？、「血も涙もない守銭奴」？いまのところは「バンクスター」となっているようですが，「スター」は日本語では芸能人の意味を誰しもが想起しますので，よくはないですよね。誰か教えてくれませんか。なお，high noonは「最盛期，絶頂期」という意味です。（UG）

Thursday, July 12, 2012

High noon for 'banksters'?

By KEVIN RAFFERTY
Special to The Japan Times

HONG KONG — Recent revelations in Europe and the United States about cunning, corrupt and sometimes criminal ways that big banks and financial companies have used to make money are leading to a fine steam of moral indignation and outrage. Politicians and financial regulators have joined in the chorus of condemnations. It is great theater, but the authorities are still shuffling the blame between themselves.

Are the myriad devious — even "devilish" would not be too strong a word — ways that the "banksters" have devised to make money finally catching up with them?

The real proof of progress will be when shareholders summon their courage to curb bank managements, reduce their ridiculous salaries and generally clean house; when politicians get their act together to cut too-big-to-fail (TBTF) banks down to size; when regulators stop slapping wrists with small fines and bring criminal charges against the biggest banksters.

"Banksters" is a portmanteau word, made up of "bankers" and "gangsters" — which seems all the more appropriate given ongoing revelations about market-rigging have shown that a culture of greed and corruption has infected the financial business in the West. The resignation of Bob Diamond as chief executive of Barclays after the big British bank was fined a record £290 million for its part in a complex "Libor" bid-rigging process is only the start.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/eo20120712a1.html#.UAEWHxx8ryE