pinky promise
九州本土と天草の島々を結ぶ天草五橋が開通してから５０年のなったのを祝うイベントが開かれました。イベントでは１６５８人が一列になり、熊本地震の被災地復興を願いながら指切りげんまんをし、ギネス世界記録を更新しました。
‘Pinky promise’ for quake-hit Kumamoto sets world record
KAMIAMAKUSA, Kumamoto Prefecture--It suffered a series of devastating earthquakes, but Kumamoto Prefecture can count on the support of well-wishers who linked pinky fingers for its recovery, setting a Guinness World Record in the process.
The crowd united to make the world’s longest ever “pinky promise” chain on Sept. 25, joining pinky fingers in a symbolic gesture made when people swear on a promise together. The move is said to demonstrate the importance of the promise, as well as intimacy and trust between those involved.
As well as to pledge support for Kumamoto Prefecture’s recovery from the series of April earthquakes, the event was held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of five local bridges, collectively called “Amakusa Gokyo” (Amakusa five bridges) that connect the main island of Kyushu with Amakusa.
Interlocking their little fingers, the 2,267 participants arranged themselves in a line, stretching about 2.2 kilometers from bridge No. 2, Ooyano bashi, to bridge No. 4, Maeshima bashi, on Route 226.
Waving their arms up and down, they chanted, “Thank you, Amakusa Gokyo! Hang in there, Kumamoto!” beating the previous pinky promise chain record of 1,343 people, which was achieved in Chiba Prefecture in December last year.
Although the interlocking fingers were at one point accidentally cut off in the middle of the chain, an official adjudicator and observers of the Guinness World Records visually assessed the chain and confirmed that the Amakusa pinky promise chain with 1,658 people smashed the existing world record.
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201609260053.html
今回注目した表現は、“pinky promise”です。よく知られているように、“pinky”は「小指」、“promise”は「約束」を意味します。これらの意味から、“pinky promise”は日本において約束をするために行われる「ゆびきり(指切り)」という意味になります。“pinky swear”でも同じ意味です。
ちなみに、指切りは中国で誕生し、アジアに広がっていったものだそうです。ベトナムでは小指ではなく、人差し指で指切りを行うなど、国によって方法は異なります。
(Blue Sky)
