magpie
カササギ
解説 Definition
magpie はカササギという鳥を意味します。日本語ではカタカナで「マグパイ」とも書かれますが、一般的な和名は「カササギ」です。
A magpie is a long-tailed bird of the crow family, often recognized by its contrasting black-and-white plumage and noisy calls. The name is applied to several related species found in Europe, Asia, North America, and other regions.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
magpie は黒白の羽とよく鳴く習性で知られる「カササギ」。もとの pie に、人名 Margaret の愛称 Mag が加わった歴史を押さえる。a magpie landed on the fence、a magpie’s nest のような鳥の場面と結び、pied「まだらの」も同系として覚える。
Picture a black-and-white, long-tailed bird landing on a fence and calling noisily: that is the typical magpie scene. The word has a useful historical clue. Pie was an earlier name for the bird, and Mag, a familiar form of Margaret, was added because human names were often given to familiar or talkative animals. Link magpie with pied, meaning marked with contrasting colors, to remember its striking plumage. Common combinations include a magpie’s nest, a flock of magpies, and a magpie carrying a twig. The bird belongs to the crow family.
例文
A magpie landed on the fence.
カササギが柵にとまりました。
We saw a magpie near the park entrance.
私たちは公園の入り口の近くでカササギを見ました。
The magpie carried a small twig to its nest.
そのカササギは小さな枝を巣へ運びました。
magpie の語源・成り立ち Etymology
古フランス語pie（ラテン語pica）を語根とし、後に「おしゃべりな女性」への愛称mag-が接頭辞として加わりました。黒白の斑模様と頻繁に鳴く習性が結びつき、カササギの呼称として定着しています。同じ語根由来の関連語にpied（まだらの）が挙げられます。
Magpie developed from Middle English names combining Mag, a familiar form of the personal name Margaret, with pie, the older English name for the bird. Pie came through Old French from Latin pīca, “magpie.” Familiar human names were commonly attached to animals, and Mag also carried associations with talkativeness. Pied, referring to contrasting patches of color, is historically connected with the same bird name.
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