English Collection

日頃目に付いた覚えたい英単語、慣用句などの表現についてのメモです。

talk the hind legs off a donkey

2024年05月23日 | 英単語
東野圭吾の小説 "New Comer" を読み始めました。東野圭吾の作品はTVのドラマでもお馴染みです。面白いので楽しみです。

'Take good care of yourself,' Kaga said to Satoko.
'It's great to see your mother looking so well,' Kaga said as they emerged from the shop.
'She can still talk the hind legs off a donkey.'
They walked over to the cafe on the far side of the street.

"talk the hind legs off a donkey" は慣用句でしょうね。辞書を見ます。

・Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary: If you say that someone could talk the hind leg off a donkey, you mean that they talk a lot. You won't be short of conversation with Adrian. He could talk the hind leg off a donkey.
・Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary: (informal, humorous) (usually used with can or could) talk for a long time: He would make a good politician — he could talk the hind legs off a donkey!

English Language & Usageに由来について次の説明がありました。
The phrase originates in Ireland. Donkeys (or "asses" or "jackasses" as they are called in other parts of the world) do not naturally sit down on their rear ends. In fact, it is an extraordinary achievement to get one to do it. "Talking the hind legs off a donkey" is a literal translation of the Gaelic, which actually means "making a donkey sit down on its rear end". Thus, when a person can talk the hind legs off a donkey, they can talk so much that they could even bore a donkey into sitting down.
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