Campaigning for Aug. 30 Lower House election officially started on Aug. 19. But, ordinary people (including me) are more interested in the "Nori-pi" issue than politics.This is an ad of a Japanese popular weekly magazine named "Syuukan-Bunshun"（週刊文春） that I came across on Aug. 20. I thought that it is interesting that "Nori-pi" issues occupied more space than the prediction for seats of Lower House when I saw it. Japan is a very peaceful country, and I like this situation very much.
"Nori-pi" is a nickname of actress Noriko Sakai who was arrested on Aug.9 on suspicion of possessing illegal stimulants.
This time, I try to explain about "Manmosu-rari-pi" that you can find in upper-right place in this ad.
Noriko Sakai used to use her unique speaking style called "Nori-pi-go"（のりピー語） when she acted as a pop idol. In "Nori-pi-go", if you want to say that "I am very happy"（（わたしは）とてもうれしいです。）, it is translated into "(I am) Manmosu-ure-pi"（マンモスうれピー）.
Manmosu is "mammoth" that means "very". And "pi"（ピー） is placed for the last part of "ureshii"（うれしい）, "shii"（しい）.
"Rari" is a very slung word. We use this word to express a condition that people look very drunken because of some drug. It is used usually as a verb,"rari-ru"（ラリる）.
But, an adjective, "rari-sii" does not exist, so "Manmosu-rari-pi" is not right expression in "Nori-pi-go". But, the writer of a magazine used it as a kind of "word play".
P.S. I have another explanation about "Monmosu-rari-pi". An idol once called "Nori-pi" has become a suspect who is said to use illegal drug. So, now, "Nori-pi" become "Rari-pi".
7 comments:
thank you a lot for the comment, bike-san, I've heard about the story with the girl. The word play is really interesting.
Personally, I've really never liked entertainment news because I find it to be totally frivolous. But I'm pretty sure that I'm in the minority on that one.
I actually have an audio drama in which Sakai is speaking in のりピー語. I mean, it's LOADED with the stuff. It can drive you crazy if you listen to it too long. (Shoot, maybe that's what happened to her a little bit.) I can see why Sakai wanted to distance herself from her Nori-P image as she got older.
Oh, and thanks for explaining about the wordplay. マンモスありがピー。〈笑〉
ところで、今回のコメントではアメリカ人のように意見をストレートに言ってみましたが、わかりましたか。（もしストレート過ぎてちょっと傷ついたらすみません。アメリカ人はこのふうに言うのが普通なんで・・・。）
Lenin-san,
Thank you for posting a comment. I added another explanation about "Manmosu-rari-pi".
Jon-san,
I have heard that Noriko Sakai used "Nori-pi-go" to appeal her difference from other idol because of order from her staffs. And she said that she did not like to use it in the bottom of her heart.
I have learned a new word, "frivolous" because of your comment. Thank you. I translated it into a Japanese "くだらない". Is it OK?
じつのところ、この英語が、ストレートな表現で、傷つくかもしれないというのが、よくわかりません。ブログの、口語的な表現にはなかなか、慣れないですね。「マンモスありがピー」は結構いいと思います。
That's good. I know that sometimes Japanese folks are a bit sensitive to speaking bluntly, so I just wanted to be sure.
Also, I forgot to mention one other thing: I think that "Nori-pi won over politics" is closer to what you wanted to say. That's because if you say "Nori-pi won politics," it sounds like "のりぴーは政道で勝った." But she actually won over politics, right? 政道よりのりぴーのほうが人気があった、といいますかな。
Jon-san,
新聞や雑誌の見出しとして、日本語で「のりピーは政治に勝った！！」というのは、「あり」かな、と思って、"won"を使ったんですが、あくまでも、日本語的感覚だったような気がします。
I corrected the title by adding "over." Thank you.
ふむ～、和訳が悪かったかな。
If you say "Noriko won politics," I sounds like perhaps she was running in a political election and won, perhaps. Does that make sense?
Another way of saying it is "Nori-pi beat out politics," by the way.
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