emcee 復習
年内で解散を発表したSMAPですが、今後SMAPのようなグループは現れるのでしょうか。
Can anyone reach for the stars like SMAP?
SMAP, the pop idol group who have enjoyed tremendous popularity for a quarter of a century, recently announced they were breaking up. But there are several reasons why the group — Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and Shingo Katori — will live on in Japan’s showbiz history.
They have produced 55 singles since their debut in 1991, and all of them have soared into the top 10 on Oricon’s weekly singles rankings, setting a record for the highest number of consecutive singles to be ranked on the top 10 from the debut of an artist or group.
No other idol group has generated so many hits for such a long period. That is because the popularity of most pop stars tends to wane as they grow older, which is considered inevitable as their biggest fans are of the opposite sex.
It took some time before SMAP’s popularity really exploded. With TV music shows losing popularity in the 1990s, the group eyed another genre — variety shows. They dispensed with the usual idol image by tackling slapstick routines in “Yume ga MORI MORI,” a variety show aired from 1992 to 1995.
They also demonstrated their versatility through comical acts and cooking in “SMAP x SMAP,” which debuted on TV in 1996. Through such programs, they made an indelible impression on TV viewers. Not only were they hip, but they also had distinct personalities and talents, as well as narrative skills. Nakai emceed for the men’s team at NHK’s “Red and White Year-end Song Festival” for the first time in 1997. Viewers also saw the members appear in a number of popular TV shows, including “Waratte Iitomo!”
以下省略
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003153572
今回気になった単語はemceeです。日本語でも司会者のことをMCと表したりしますが、関連はあるのでしょうか。『ライトハウス英和辞典』（第5版 研究社）で調べてみますと、可算名詞で「（米略式）（バラエティ番組、パーティーなどの）司会者（master of ceremonies）」 他動詞で「（番組）を司会する、」 自動詞で「司会を務める」という意味があることがわかりました。MCは “master of ceremonies” の略ですが、この発音をスペルに表したものがemceeではないかと思われました。関連をインターネットで調べると、英辞郎on the WEBに「【語源】MC（＝Master of Ceremonies）の発音つづり」とありました。
今回の記事の中では自動詞で用いられており、「司会を務めた」となるかと思われます。（aqua）
