日本のプロ野球 阪神タイガースのマジックをめぐり，"アレ”という表現が頻出するので気になっていましたが，本日の「朝日新聞」にことばの説明があり，もやもやがとれました．詳細は以下の記事にあります．
「（リーグ）優勝」ということばを避けるための婉曲話法だったとのこと．それに後付けで英語に堪能な岡田監督の奥様が後付けで，意味付けをされたとのこと．といっても英語母語話者には are を"アレ”と認知できるとは思えませんが...．ともかくもタイガースらしい．（UG）
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BASEBALL/ Don’t jinx them: Hanshin Tigers close to first CL ‘are’ in 18 years THE ASAHI SHIMBUN September 14, 2023 at 17:09 JST |
With the Hanshin Tigers on the verge of winning their first Central League title in 18 years, the fans and even the media have adopted the manager’s “gag order.”
Instead of saying “yusho” (championship), the new synonym is “are” (you know what), in order not to pressure or jinx the players.
Since the team’s magic number dropped to one on Sept. 13, media in the Kansai area and fans have been saying, “‘Are’ is close” and “Come on get ‘are’ this year.”
The trend started on Sept. 12, when the Tigers reduced their magic number to three.
The following day, local sports newspaper headlines read, “Quickest ‘are’ is in sight” and “‘Are’ could come tomorrow.”
TEAM GIVES MEANING TO ‘ARE’
Fortuitously, the Tigers adopted “A.R.E.” as the team’s slogan for this season. The team gave a meaning to each letter:
A stands for Aim (a clear goal)
R stands for Respect (respect for baseball and senior players)
E stands for Empower (further level up)
Each autumn, the Tigers’ marketing department begins brainstorming the next season’s slogan. The manager’s vision of the brand of baseball he expects from his players greatly influences this process.
Staffers suggested stereotypical phrases meaning “defense-oriented baseball” and “just doing what’s necessary.” “Are” was also on the list.
Some said, “Making a logo out of ‘are’ may be considered a joke.”
But others said, “The term is characteristic of the manager’s remarks. The team aiming for a championship is a matter of course.
Above all else, the term is clear to all.”
The team contemplated how to make “are” its slogan.
They came up with an idea to assign a meaning to each letter and make it a clear sentence in Japanese when read at once.
There was an alternative idea, but Okada supported “A.R.E.,” saying “Why not?”
Shortly before the slogan was announced, Okada asked for some adjustments.
He told the team to keep the letters but to change the meaning.
Sources said that Okada got advice from his wife, Yoko, who speaks fluent English. The manager submitted the makeover and staffers hurried to make the changes in time for the announcement day.
The catchy slogan spread further as the team inched closer to “are.”
Tigers staffers feel their slogan is a winner and are thinking there is no reason to change a good thing.
“After the team accomplishes ‘are’ this season, why don’t we use the term next season too?” a staff member said.
(This article was written by Sho Tanji and Naoko Osaka.)