【No. 1061】Nimaijita (二枚舌 - Double Tongue)

Nov 13, 2017 11:33

There are several Japanese expressions that means to tell a lie.

The term "nimaijita" (二枚舌) is one of them.

The "nimai" (二枚) means "two pieces," and the "jita/shita" (舌) means "tongue," so the literal meaning of "nimaijita" is "two tongues."

However, this term is used to mean that someone tells a lie or say contradictory things.

Since people who say lies or contradictions fluently are as if they have two tongues and each one says different things, this term has come to be used.

Incidentally, today I learned English has a similar expression -- "speaking with a forked tongue" means to tell a lie.

二枚舌

嘘をつくことを意味する表現はさまざまあります。

「二枚舌」もその一つです。

「二枚舌」の文字どおりの意味は「二枚の舌」ですが、実際には嘘をつことや、矛盾したことを言うという意味で使われます。

平気で嘘や矛盾したことを言う人は、口の中に二枚の舌があり、それぞれ違ったことを言っているようであることから、この言葉が使われるようになりました。

英語でも同じように "speaking with a forked tongue" （枝分かれした舌で話す）と言うと、嘘をつくという意味になります。

Corrections (1)

No. 1　David

• There are several Japanese expressions that means to tell a lie.
• There are several Japanese expressions that mean to tell a lie.

  means --> mean - expressions mean, expression means

• The term "nimaijita" (二枚舌) is one of them.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• The "nimai" (二枚) means "two pieces," and the "jita/shita" (舌) means "tongue," so the literal meaning of "nimaijita" is "two tongues."
• The "nimai" (二枚) means "two pieces" and the "jita/shita" (舌) means "tongue" so the literal meaning of "nimaijita" is "two tongues."

  Commas don't work here.

• However, this term is used to mean that someone tells a lie or say contradictory things.
• However, this term is used to mean that someone told a lie or said contradictory things.

  told a lie or said... You identify it as a lie or if it's contradictory after the fact not during.

• Since people who say lies or contradictions fluently are as if they have two tongues and each one says different things, this term has come to be used.
• Since people who speak lies or contradictions fluently are as if they have two tongues and each one says different things, this term has come to be used.

  say --> speak - Say is okay but speak would be a more common choice.

• Incidentally, today I learned English has a similar expression -- "speaking with a forked tongue" means to tell a lie.
• Incidentally, today I learned that English has a similar expression -- "speaking with a forked tongue" means to tell a lie.

  learned English --> learned that English
  
  
  "speaking with a forked tongue" is okay but when the phrase is actually used it would be: "He speaks/spoke with a forked tongue."
  
  It's a play on the dislike of snakes. Snakes have a forked tongue. He's a snake. He's a snake in the grass.

Toru
Thank you so much for the corrections and helpful comments! :)

Comments