和製英語と英語の違いを説明するシリーズLost in Translation
第10回の本日は”フライングスタート”です。
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Lost in Translation Part.10
フライングスタート（Flying Start）
Tyler Ayala
(c) mikub
｜写真素材 PIXTA
フライングスタート is another phrase adopted from English that has changed slightly in its meaning in a unique and subtle way that might be lost on native English speakers. The phrase ‘flying start’ is similar in meaning to ‘a good start’, ‘a strong start’ or ‘a quick start’ depending on the context. In Japanese, however, the meaning is ‘an early start’. Though this seems like a small difference, it can completely change the meaning of the phrase.
An example of this might be in a car race. A native Japanese speaker might turn to his native English speaking friend and say, ‘That was a flying start, yeah?’ The Japanese speaker’s meaning is that one of the racecars started early and cheated. The English speaker would think that the Japanese speaker is saying that it was a good start. Therefore, the English speaker would assume that the Japanese speaker thinks cheating is a good thing. This can be a confusing situation. In English, we would say, ‘That driver jumped the gun,’ to say that there was an early start.
In addition to races, we can also use ‘flying start’ for business in English. For example, if a meeting is going well in the beginning, we might say, ‘Our negotiations are off to a flying start.’ Or, we could also say, ‘Your business is off to a flying start,’ if we would like to congratulate you on your business doing well quickly.
So, please keep in mind that フライングスタート in English is a good thing- not bad.
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※The English described in this blog is from an American perspective. Cultural reactions and vocabulary might be different in other countries like Canada, Britain and Australia.
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