coon
アライグマ
解説 Definition
coon は raccoon の短縮形として使われる名詞で、アライグマを指します。くだけた表現ですが、文脈によっては差別的な意味を持つ語として使われることもあるため、動物を指す場合でも raccoon を使う方が安全です。
Coon is an informal shortened form of raccoon, referring to the North American animal with a masked face and dexterous front paws. Because the same word is also a highly offensive racial slur, raccoon is the safer and more appropriate term even when the animal is intended.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
coon は raccoon の語頭部分が落ちた米語の短縮形で、動物の「アライグマ」なら raccoon と結び付けて覚える。ただし coon には人種差別語としての用法があり、意図がなくても強い侮辱になり得る。野生動物の報告や日常表現では、省略せず raccoon を選ぶのが安全。
Remember coon as a shortening of raccoon, with the beginning of the full animal name removed. You may encounter it in older rural American speech or compounds such as coonskin, especially in historical writing. However, the same form has long been used as a severe racial insult, so context does not always prevent harm or misunderstanding. For present-day wildlife reports, conversation, and careful writing, use the complete word raccoon. The practical memory rule is simple: recognize coon when reading, connect it immediately to raccoon in an animal context, but choose raccoon in your own neutral speech and writing.
例文
A coon knocked over the trash can during the night.
夜の間にアライグマがごみ箱を倒しました。
The farmer saw a coon near the cornfield.
農家の人はトウモロコシ畑の近くでアライグマを見ました。
In wildlife reports, it is better to write raccoon instead of coon.
野生動物の報告では、coon より raccoon と書く方が適切です。
coon の類義語・関連語
coon の語源・成り立ち Etymology
米語のcoonはraccoonの短縮形で、そのraccoonは北米先住民ポウハタン語arahkunにさかのぼり、「手でひっかくもの」の意。前足を器用に使う動作が名の由来で、名前そのものが生態の説明になっています。関連語はraccoon、coonskin。
In its animal sense, coon arose in American English as a shortening of raccoon. Raccoon entered English from a Powhatan word recorded in forms such as aroughcun or arahkun, traditionally interpreted with reference to the animal’s scratching or its skillful use of its forepaws. The shortened form later acquired an unrelated, deeply offensive racial use. That history makes the full animal name raccoon preferable in modern neutral contexts.
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