squabbling
口論
解説 Definition
squabbling は squabble（つまらないことで口論する）の動名詞・現在分詞です。名詞としては、小さな不満や意見の違いをめぐる口論を表します。
Squabbling is repeated or noisy arguing about relatively unimportant matters, often between people who continue to make petty complaints or disagreements. The word can function as a noun or as the present participle of squabble.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
squabbling は squabble の語末の黙字 e を取って -ing を加えた形で、発音も squabble /ˈskwɒbəl/ から squabbling /ˈskwɒbəlɪŋ/ となります。重大な争いではなく、掃除の担当や小さな不満をめぐって何度も言い合う場面を想像し、quarreling より「些細で騒々しい口げんか」という含みを覚えましょう。
Squabbling comes from squabble by dropping the final silent e and adding -ing: /ˈskwɒbəl/ becomes /ˈskwɒbəlɪŋ/. Picture family members or coworkers repeatedly arguing over a minor duty, such as who should clean the kitchen. The disagreement is noisy and irritating, but usually not a grave conflict. That petty quality distinguishes squabbling from a serious dispute or violent confrontation. Common patterns include constant squabbling, squabbling over money, and stop squabbling. As a noun it names the bickering itself; as a participle it can describe people who are arguing.
例文
The squabbling stopped when the teacher entered the room.
先生が部屋に入ると、その口論は止まりました。
There was constant squabbling over who should clean the kitchen.
誰が台所を掃除するべきかをめぐって、絶えず口論がありました。
The manager asked the team to end the squabbling and focus on the deadline.
マネージャーはチームに、口論をやめて締め切りに集中するよう求めました。
squabbling の類義語・関連語
派生語
紛らわしい語
squabbling の語源・成り立ち Etymology
スウェーデン語 skvabbel（口げんか）または中低ドイツ語 swabbeln（騒ぐ）に由来するとされる。squab-（ぶつかる・騒ぐ）に動名詞 -ling が付き、些細なことで騒々しく言い争う様子を表す。大げんかではなく小競り合いのニュアンス。関連語：squab（ひな鳥→弱々しいもの）、quarrel（口論）。
Squabbling is the -ing form of squabble, a verb recorded in English from the seventeenth century. The deeper origin of squabble is uncertain, but it has been compared with Scandinavian and Low German words referring to noisy quarrelling or babbling. In the modern form, the final silent e of squabble is removed before -ing is added. The word consistently suggests a noisy argument over comparatively petty matters rather than a major formal dispute.
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