March 18, 2014、Japan Times Onlineに掲載されたCombating climate changeと題された元駐日英国大使、Hugh Cortazzi氏の意見記事から引用します。
Despite some unresolved questions there is an overwhelming consensus among eminent scientists that human activity and in particular their carbon emissions have contributed to climate changes, and have resulted in increasing spells of exceptional weather. We all need to press our government to stop shilly-shalling and making excuses for inaction. Much more effective international agreements to curb emissions are needed and soon.
"shilly-shalling" が気になります。しかし、次ぎの段落の冒頭が：
Much more also needs to be done without delay to secure our cities and countryside against flooding and extreme weather.
となっているので、"shilly-shalling" はぐずぐずすることあるいは躊躇の意味ではないかと推測できます。辞書で確認します。
・Cambridge English Dictionary: to spend too much time doing something or making a decision because you do not know what is the right thing to do: Stop shilly-shallying and make a decision now!
・Oxford English Dictionary: Fail to act resolutely or decisively: ‘the government shilly-shallied about the matter’
この表現の由来を知ると覚え易くなる気がします。
・Online Etymology Dictionary: "to vacillate," 1782, from adverbial expression to stand shilly-shally (1703), earlier shill I, shall I (1700), a fanciful reduplication of shall I? (cf. wishy-washy, dilly-dally, etc.).
Despite some unresolved questions there is an overwhelming consensus among eminent scientists that human activity and in particular their carbon emissions have contributed to climate changes, and have resulted in increasing spells of exceptional weather. We all need to press our government to stop shilly-shalling and making excuses for inaction. Much more effective international agreements to curb emissions are needed and soon.
"shilly-shalling" が気になります。しかし、次ぎの段落の冒頭が：
Much more also needs to be done without delay to secure our cities and countryside against flooding and extreme weather.
となっているので、"shilly-shalling" はぐずぐずすることあるいは躊躇の意味ではないかと推測できます。辞書で確認します。
・Cambridge English Dictionary: to spend too much time doing something or making a decision because you do not know what is the right thing to do: Stop shilly-shallying and make a decision now!
・Oxford English Dictionary: Fail to act resolutely or decisively: ‘the government shilly-shallied about the matter’
この表現の由来を知ると覚え易くなる気がします。
・Online Etymology Dictionary: "to vacillate," 1782, from adverbial expression to stand shilly-shally (1703), earlier shill I, shall I (1700), a fanciful reduplication of shall I? (cf. wishy-washy, dilly-dally, etc.).
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