Saboru

May 12, 2017 15:06
Today I will talk about the verb "saboru."

"Saboru" means to skip your work or class in idleness.

Many Japanese people might believe that this is a pure Japanese verb, but actually it comes from the French "sabotage."

"Sabotage" is a kind of labor disputes, for example, labors intentionally destroy machines and inflict heavy damage on managers to promote resolution of issues.

Here, "sabotage" comes from the French word "sabot," which means "clog."

It is said that the reason is because French workers kicked and destroyed machines with sabots/clogs.

Note that the nuance of Japanese verb "saboru" is different from the French/English term "sabotage" -- "saboru" is used to mean just something like "to shirk."
サボる

今日は「サボる」という動詞を紹介します。

「サボる」は、仕事などを怠けることを意味します。

この言葉を日本語だと思っている日本人は多いと思いますが、実際はフランス語の "sabotage" に由来します。

"Sabotage" とは、過失に見せかけて機械を破壊したり、仕事を停滞させるなど、経営者に損害を与えることで事態の解決を促進する労働争議の一種です。

"Sabotage" は、木靴を意味する "sabot" から来ています。

これは、かつてフランスの労働者が木靴で機械を蹴り破壊したことに由来するそうです。

フランス語や英語の "sabotage" と違い、日本語の「サボる」は怠ける程度の軽い意味で使われることに注意して下さい。
No. 1　solaero's correction
  • Today I will talk about the verb "saboru."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • "Saboru" means to skip your work or class in idleness.
  • "Saboru" means to skip your work or class for no good reason.
    　idleness is somewhat advance and the above English makes the sentence more accessible to less advanced readers.
  • Many Japanese people might believe that this is a pure Japanese verb, but actually it comes from the French "sabotage."
  • Many Japanese people might believe that this is a pure Japanese verb, but actually it comes from the French "sabotage."
    　We tend to just make strong statements in English and don't pad our sentences a lot with "might" or "maybe" unless we are really unsure. Japanese tend to use these softeners much more often.
  • "Sabotage" is a kind of labor disputes, for example, labors intentionally destroy machines and inflict heavy damage on managers to promote resolution of issues.
  • "Sabotage" in English means a kind of labor disputes, or hostile action, for example, labors intentionally destroy machines and inflict heavy damage on managers to force the management to bargain for a resolution of labor disputes.
    　Sabotage is also used in war-time situations or any time someone does something intentionally to destroy things... we need to hint at this broader definition, so I added "or hostile action"...
  • Here, "sabotage" comes from the French word "sabot," which means "clog."
  • Here, "sabotage" comes from the French word "sabot," which means "clog," which is a wooden type of shoe.
    　If you just say "clog" then I think of a lump of dirt instead of the shoe... we need to be more specific here.
  • It is said that the reason is because French workers kicked and destroyed machines with sabots/clogs.
  • It is said that the reason is because French workers kicked and destroyed machines with sabots/clogs.
    　I suspect they threw the shoes into the machines while they were running, which would destroy the machines... I doubt just kicking them with wooden shoes would do enough damage to get management to compromise. However, I didn't do the research, so I will leave your sentence the way it is.
  • Note that the nuance of Japanese verb "saboru" is different from the French/English term "sabotage" -- "saboru" is used to mean just something like "to shirk."
  • Note that the nuance of Japanese verb "saboru" is different from the French/English term "sabotage" -- "saboru" is used to mean just something like "to shirk," or "be lazy."
    　shirk is also an advanced English word, so I added a little more to make the sentence more readable for less advance readers. Business English always tries to be accessible to the largest audience possible.
Excellent topic and translation. My comments are to help you take your language up another level, but overall your English is wonderful!
azza3695
  • "Sabotage" in English means a kind of labor disputes, or hostile action, for example, labors intentionally destroy machines and inflict heavy damage on managers to force the management to bargain for a resolution of labor disputes.

    Sabotage is also used in war-time situations or any time someone does something intentionally to destroy things... we need to hint at this broader definition, so I added "or hostile action"...

broader translation means 'in english' is not needed, as english is almost straight transliteration from french, and english meaning is nothing of a labor (labour) dispute...i think this spellcheck is american.
Toru
Thank you so much for the corrections and the explanations, salaero-san!
I learned something new (^^)
And thank you so much for the further note, azza3695-san! :)
Toru
  • It is said that the reason is because French workers kicked and destroyed machines with sabots/clogs.

    I suspect they threw the shoes into the machines while they were running, which would destroy the machines... I doubt just kicking them with wooden shoes would do enough damage to get management to compromise. However, I didn't do the research, so I will leave your sentence the way it is.

According to the Japanese version Wikipedia, there are several theories about the origin, and currently the most accepted one seems to be what I wrote. However, since the sauce was ambiguous, your prediction might be right.
No. 2　クライド's correction
  • Many Japanese people might believe that this is a pure Japanese verb, but actually it comes from the French "sabotage."
  • Many Japanese people think that this is a Japanese verb, but it actually comes from the French word, "sabotage."
Wow, this is so interesting!! Thank you for sharing, Kanotown!! Great post! <3
Toru
Thank you so much for the correction, クライドさん! (^^)
No. 3　Dave's correction
  • Today I will talk about the verb "saboru."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • "Saboru" means to skip your work or class in idleness.
  • Saboru means to skip your work or class due to idleness.
    　"Saboru" --> Saboru - It's a standard practice that when introducing a term for the first time to surround it with quotation marks (or use a bold font). This is used to mark the word/phrase so that the reader will understand that author wants them to pay special attention to it. Based on common experience the reader would then expect that subsequent text would explain the word.

    After the word's introduction all subsequent references will not use quotes.

    in idleness --> due to idleness - It's not that "in idleness" couldn't be used but it's not something I'd expect to see. If you wanted to use that express it might work in something like this:

    Soboru means to, in idleness,skip your work or class. - This is still kind of an awkward sentence.
  • Many Japanese people might believe that this is a pure Japanese verb, but actually it comes from the French "sabotage."
  • Many Japanese people might believe that this is a pure Japanese verb, but it actually comes from the French (word) "sabotage."
    　I do no see any problem with "might believe." The other suggestions "believe" and "think" are also valid choices.

    French (word) "sabotage." - Adding "word" would make it more explicit but the sentence could work well without it too.
  • "Sabotage" is a kind of labor disputes, for example, labors intentionally destroy machines and inflict heavy damage on managers to promote resolution of issues.
  • (In French,) s/Sabotage is a kind of labor dispute. For example, laborers would intentionally destroy machines which inflicts heavy damage on managers to promote resolution of issues.
    　(In French,) - You might add this to explicitly point out that you're referring to the French word and not the English word that is spelled the same way.

    "Sabotage" --> Sabotage - Same reason as above.

    disputes --> dispute - You used "a kind of..." so you would need to use the singular dispute.

    labors --> laborers - Example: During the heat of the day, laborers, or workers, perform their labors.

    laborers intentionally --> laborers would intentionally - The sentence sounds unfinished without adding "would." I can't think of a specific reason why now, sorry.

    and inflict --> which inflicts - I did a Google translate on your Japanese entry and I did not see any hint that the managers themselves were attacked. By writing ".. destroy machines and inflict..." you are indicating that the workers not only destroyed the machines they also attacked the managers.
  • Here, "sabotage" comes from the French word "sabot," which means "clog."
  • Here, "sabotage" comes from the French word "sabot," which means "clog."
    　Your sentence is fine as written.

    I know I'm contradicting my previous advice about using quotes but because of the nature of the sentence - it not only explicitly references Japanese and French there's also a possible confusion with an English word - quotes work here.
  • It is said that the reason is because French workers kicked and destroyed machines with sabots/clogs.
  • It is said that the reason is because French workers kicked and destroyed machines with their sabots/clogs.
    　with sabots/clogs --> with their sabots/clogs - You need to use a determiner like "their" here.
  • Note that the nuance of Japanese verb "saboru" is different from the French/English term "sabotage" -- "saboru" is used to mean just something like "to shirk."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
This is both an interesting bit of knowledge as well as an interesting correction exercise.
azza3695
ぼくはべんきょうのさぼるですよ？
Dave
Hi azza3695,

If your comment was directed toward me I haven't a clue what you wrote. Would you believe I've found that I enjoy the exercise of commenting/correcting entries here but have managed to avoid learning more than a word or two in any of them?

I have to rely on Google Translate to make any sense out of the native language entries.

Google translates your response ぼくはべんきょうのさぼるですよ？ as "I am a savory breeder?" That definitely falls into one of the odder translations I've received.

I'm curious, what do you mean?
Toru
  • (In French,) s/Sabotage is a kind of labor dispute. For example, laborers would intentionally destroy machines which inflicts heavy damage on managers to promote resolution of issues.

    (In French,) - You might add this to explicitly point out that you're referring to the French word and not the English word that is spelled the same way.

    "Sabotage" --> Sabotage - Same reason as above.

    disputes --> dispute - You used "a kind of..." so you would need to use the singular dispute.

    labors --> laborers - Example: During the heat of the day, laborers, or workers, perform their labors.

    laborers intentionally --> laborers would intentionally - The sentence sounds unfinished without adding "would." I can't think of a specific reason why now, sorry.

    and inflict --> which inflicts - I did a Google translate on your Japanese entry and I did not see any hint that the managers themselves were attacked. By writing ".. destroy machines and inflict..." you are indicating that the workers not only destroyed the machines they also attacked the managers.

Thank you very much for the corrections and the kind comments!
They're really helpful :)

> which inflicts heavy damage on managers
Here, I wanted to mean to make managers suffer an economic loss. I wrote just "heavy damage," but I wanted to say an economical damage/loss.
The Japanese part is "経営者に損害を与える" -- "経営者" means "manager," "損害" means "damage/loss," and "与える" means "give/inflict."
Toru
> ぼくはべんきょうのさぼるですよ？
Hmm, I think that azza3695-san tried to make a sentence using "サボる" in practice, but this sentence isn't grammatically correct.

Maybe you should say something like:
僕は勉強をサボるのですよ/サボります/サボってしまいます。
(I skip/neglect my studies.)
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