拍手喝采

解説

付記

「喝采を受けた！」と俳優は言った。 だが私はひどく奇妙に思った。 観客も批評家も、 彼に“耳を引っ張られて”いただけなのだ。 ラテン語辞典が、その滑稽な主張を明かす。 “ovation”の語源は ovum――卵。 喝采とは――卵のことだったのだ。 ―― ダドリー・スピンク

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Original

In ancient Rome, a definite, formal pageant in honor of one who had been disserviceable to the enemies of the nation. A lesser "triumph." In modern English the word is improperly used to signify any loose and spontaneous expression of popular homage to the hero of the hour and place.

Additional notes

I had an ovation! the actor man said, But I thought it uncommonly queer, That people and critics by him had been led By the ear. The Latin lexicon makes his absurd Assertion as plain as a peg; In "ovum" we find the true root of the word. It means egg. Dudley Spink