| 翻訳と辞書 |
| old wives' tale ： ウィキペディア英語版 |
old wives' tale
Old wives tale is an epithet used to indicate that a supposed truth is actually a superstition or something untrue, to be ridiculed. It can be said sometimes to be a type of urban legend, said to be passed down by older women to a younger generation. Such "tales" are considered superstition, folklore or unverified claims with exaggerated and/or inaccurate details. Old wives' tales often center on women's traditional concerns, such as pregnancy, puberty, social relations, health, herbalism and nutrition.
== Origins ==
In this context, the word ''wife'' means ''woman'' rather than ''married woman''. This usage stems from Old English ''wif'' (woman) and is akin to the German ''Weib'', also meaning "woman". This sense of the word is still used in Modern English in constructions such as ''midwife'' and ''fishwife''.
Old wives' tales often discourage unwanted behavior, usually in children, or for folk cures for ailments ranging from a toothache to dysentery.
The concept of old wives' tales has existed for centuries. In 1611, the King James Bible was published with the following translation of the Apostle Paul writing to his young protégé Timothy, "But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself () unto godliness" (I Timothy 4:7 KJV〔(Blue Letter Bible – 1 Timothy 4:7 )〕).
抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』
■ウィキペディアで「old wives' tale」の詳細全文を読む
スポンサード リンク
| 翻訳と辞書 : 翻訳のためのインターネットリソース |
Copyright(C) kotoba.ne.jp 1997-2016. All Rights Reserved.
|
|