spinの用法/Extra,extra!#2
Japan Today(09/21/2012)から英語表現を拾います。
人生において結婚は最大のイベントであり、友人や親族も祝福してくれるとても幸せな出来事です。しかし、その一方で、離婚はバツイチという言葉もあるようにどうしてもネガティブなイメージが付きまといますし、祝福してくれた友人や親族に報告もしにくいのが現状でしょう。そんなネガティブな出来事を離婚＝再出発と考え、前向きなセレモニーとして「離婚式」を行うカップルが増えているそうです。
Extra, extra! Your best friends are getting happy divorced
Have you ever bumped into an acquaintance and asked how their spouse was, only to find out they got divorced a month earlier. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to avoid these social landmines which multiply with the ever growing divorce rate?
Divorce Newspapers have been developed in Japan which allow couples to distribute a report of the demise of their marriage to friends and family quickly and easily. It’s also a way for the newly divorced to save the embarrassment of telling each person individually and helps people to avoid social blunders like above.
The “divorce newspaper” is the creating of divorce guru Hiroki Terai, who is also a strong proponent of “divorce ceremonies.” Divorce ceremonies are either fun or solemn events aimed at giving the couple a chance to look back on their time together and part ways with a good feeling. In some cases divorce ceremonies have even led to a cancelling of the divorce.
Although a divorce newspaper is not a part of a divorce ceremony you do get 50% off the 11,220 yen one-sided copy or 15,490 yen two-sided copy price if you include an ad for the service.
Terai came up with the idea after frequently hearing during counseling sessions that divorcees want everyone to hear the news as quickly as possible but have trouble telling everyone in person.
Sure Facebook and Twitter are alternatives but switching your status to “single” doesn’t give others a peek into you mental state if they want to help. They also don’t let you get through to your 80-year-old aunt Ester or that friend we all have who’s still refuses to sign up to Facebook.
These newspapers offer a deeper analysis of the failed marriage as well. When you sign up, you and your ex are interviewed about your history, feelings, and other things you want included.
This information is then compiled into a newspaper format within the week and ready to deliver upon your approval. You also have your choice of three newspaper formats; the lighthearted “sports page” style, elegant “English headline” style, or exotic “South American” style.
The last two of those styles have headlines reading “Happy Divorce” which in normal circumstances is called an “Amicable Divorce.” Admittedly, the headline they went with has more zing than the latter.
For an extra charge, you can also have you and your ex’s life together converted into your very own Game of Life board. Each square represents a milestone in your relationship with the final square (goal) marked off as “Happy Divorce!”
These newspapers and board games might seem overly flippant under the circumstances but Terai insists that putting a positive spin on divorce can help everyone to move on to the next stage in life with a positive attitude.
この記事には面白い表現が数多くあったのですが、今回は特に気になった2つの表現を取り上げたいと思います。
まずはここでのspinの用法についてです。spinは先生が先日、そして過去にもKoyamamoto先輩が何度も取り上げられておられます。
spin「簡単なドライブ」（http://d.hatena.ne.jp/A30/20120915/1347669014）(http://d.hatena.ne.jp/A30/20100911/1284185582)
spin「ひねり，工夫，独特の解釈」(http://d.hatena.ne.jp/A30/20100926/1285474091)
今回はどのような意味か手元の辞書で引いてみると、「《略式》情報操作」という意味(『ジーニアス英和辞典』第4版、大修館書店)がありました。そしてput a positive spin on〜で「〜にことさら前向きな評価を与える」というイディオムも記載されていました。ここでの寺井さんの考えを訳すと「離婚に前向きな評価をもたせるということは離婚する全ての人が人生の次のステージに進むことの手助けになる」という訳になるかと思います。
もうひとつは見出しの「Extra,extra!」です。こちらはUG先生が以前取り上げておられますので、簡単に取り上げますが、extraには「余分のもの、割増料」といった意味の他に「号外、特別号、臨時増刊」という意味(ibid)があります。ですのでこの見出しでは新聞の売り子が言う「号外だよ、号外だよ！」といった感じでしょうか。(EnDough)
