expletive

The Making of The Piano は残念ながら "The Piano" の映画を見たことがなければさっぱり意味の分からない内容でしたので、話の状況が唐突だと感じながらも "The Piano" を読み続ける事にしました。
Sc 89 EXT PATH TO BAINES' DAYからです。
ADA carrying her cape and bonnet hurries through the narrow bush path to BAINES' hut, FLORA has a fist of her skirt and is pulling back. ADA turns on FLORA and snatches the skirt out of the girl's hand. ADA signs to her and continues on.
FLORA: Why? Why can't I?
ADA signs again.
FLORA: (crossing her arms) I shan't practise and I DON'T CARE!
But ADA does not wait to listen. FLORA walks back through the bush muttering childish <B>expletives</B> to herself. STEWART and his two MAORI helpers come out of the bush towards her. FLORA squeals with fright.
FLORAはADAの態度に怒っているので "muttering childish <B>expletives</B> to herself" は何かブツクサ独り言を吐いたのでしょうが "<B>expletives</B>" の意味を確認します。
・Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary: formal a swear word; She dropped the book on her foot and let out a row/string of <B>expletives</B>.; <B>expletive deleted</B>: used when a swear word has been removed from a report of what someone has said
・American Heritage Dictionary: Any exclamation or oath, especially one that is obscene or profane, as in “Dammit, I forgot to buy the milk.”
後者の辞書にあった注に興味ある記述がありました。
Note: The Oval Office tapes of President Richard Nixon, released during the investigation of the Watergate scandal, made famous the phrase “<B>expletive deleted</B>,” which appeared frequently in expurgated transcripts of the tapes.
日本語では英語程には "<B>expletives</B>" を発しませんが 政治家には発言を “<B>expletive deleted</B>” の扱いにした方が良い場合が大いにありますね。
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