ninny
まぬけ・愚か者
解説 Definition
愚かで無分別な人を指す俗語。軽蔑的または冗談めいた意味で使用される。
A ninny is a foolish or silly person. It is an informal and slightly old-fashioned word, and it can sound insulting, though sometimes it is used in a playful way. It is not appropriate in serious or polite situations.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
ninny は、まじめな文章より会話で「ばかだなあ」「このまぬけめ」と軽くあきれる感じで出やすい語。語感が childlike で、知的に鋭い人物ではなく、幼くて判断が甘い人を思い浮かべると残りやすいです。idiot ほど強烈ではなく、冗談交じり・やや古風な響きがあるのもポイント。silly, foolish より人そのものを指す名詞で、You ninny! の形をセットで覚えると使い分けしやすくなります。
This word sounds light and childish, and that is a good memory hook. It is usually more playful or old-fashioned than a harsh word like "idiot." Think of the fixed expression "You ninny!" said with mild annoyance rather than serious anger.
例文
He's a ninny for believing such an obvious lie.
彼はそのような明らかな嘘を信じるなんてばかだ。
He called his friend a ninny for being afraid of the dark.
彼は暗がりを恐れることで友人をばかと呼んだ。
She thought he was a ninny for forgetting his own birthday.
彼女は彼が自分の誕生日を忘れるなんてばかだと思った。
ninny の類義語・関連語
ninny の語源・成り立ち Etymology
語源は不確実だが、有力説では an innocent が縮まってできた語で、ラテン語 in-「否定」＋nocere「害する」にさかのぼる innocent と縁が深い。innocence と同根で、本来の「無害で世間知らず」がずれて「まぬけ」になったと考えると意味変化が腑に落ちる。
The origin of ninny is uncertain, but it is often linked to innocent or to the phrase an innocent. If so, it goes back through Latin to a root meaning "not harming." The sense seems to have shifted from someone harmless and naive to someone seen as foolish.
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