常時英心:言葉の森から 1.0

約10年間,はてなダイアリーで英語表現の落穂拾いを行ってきました。現在はAmeba Blogに2.0を開設し,継続中です。こちらはしばらくアーカイブとして維持します。

chew on

福島県会津若松駅の時刻表に30秒間「喜多方ラーメン」という文字が表示されました。

Train station staff chew on Kitakata ramen signage error

AIZU-WAKAMATSU, Fukushima Prefecture--Train station officials here are using their noodle to determine why an electronic signboard erroneously flashed “Kitakata ramen,” a renowned local delicacy, instead of “Sayonara 485 series” train.
The puzzling message on the board, which displays the departure time, destination and platform number for passengers, occurred at JR Aizu-Wakamatsu Station on June 18.
On that day, the express train Aizu, the well-known 485 series, was scheduled to leave the station at 15:25 p.m. for JR Koriyama Station in the prefecture.
The train, very popular among rail buffs, was built before its operator, East Japan Railway Co., was privatized in 1987. The trip was its last run before it was retired from service.
For the run, train station staff typed the correct signage, Sayonara 485 series, the day before, and officials have confirmed that it was still in the system as of June 17.
But the signboard on June 18 showed the wrong signage for about 30 minutes.
“It is impossible to think the mistake was made by the station staff,” a train station official said, adding they have no idea why it occurred.
Kitakata ramen is one of the most well-known ramen noodles in the nation, originating in Kitakata, a city neighboring Aizu-Wakamatsu. It is also exported overseas.

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201606190022.html

今回取り上げる表現はchew onです。

Merriam-Webster.com.では“to think about (something) “と定義されています。

ジーニアス英和辞典』(第五版、大修館書店)で確認すると、chew onはchew overの略式で「…を(決断・結論まで時間をかけて)熟考・議論する」という意味があることがわかりました。

今回は話題がラーメンということもあり、「かんで食べる」意味と、なぜ誤表示されたのか原因を「考える」という二つの意味がかけられていることがわかります。(flyingbird)