iota 復習

能狂言の先駆者として活躍されている宝生和英さんが, 自身の熱い想いを語っています。

Hosho fights on at helm of noh school

By Junichiro Shiozaki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
He is the leader and driving force of the Hosho School of noh. And it is his fighting spirit that drives him on.

While Japanese performing arts can be seen as a stage to inspire one’s inner self, Hosho Kazufusa, the young iemoto (grand master) of one of the five main shite schools, perceives it quite differently. He takes it as an opportunity to challenge his counterparts, and that way of thinking suits him best.

中略

Now aged 30, he said he would retire from his position if he lost his fighting spirit. His viewpoint has not changed one iota. “My life [as a performer] will depend on how much I can keep my feelings burning bright,” Hosho said. He pays close attention to what his audiences say as he never feels safe in his position. There is always the possibility of ending up in a terrible situation where a junior performer proves to be a better artist than his master.

以下省略

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002918843

本日取り上げる表現は “iota” です。

“iota” は一見, 日本語のようですが, そうではありません。

そこで, 『新英和大辞典』(第五版, 研究社)を引くと, 「1. イオタ(ギリシャ語アルファベット24字中の第９字: Ⅰ, ι[ローマ数字のⅠ, 鄯に当たる]) 2. [通例否定語と共に用いて]少々, 微少, みじん」と表記され, “You have never changed an iota.” 「君は全然変わっていない」という例文が挙げられていました。ιはギリシャ文字の中で最小なことから, 上記の２のような意味を表すそうです。

Merriam-Webster.com.に “iota” は, “a very small amount” と定義され, “I don’t care an iota.” という例が記されていました。

今回は, 「宝生氏の能狂言に対する考え方は, 初志貫徹している」と捉えることができます。(Cayu)

以前, 取り上げられた “iota” の記事です。
iota - 田邉祐司ゼミ 常時英心：言葉の森から