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みな鳧がつい てしまふ。

spinozist

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21 Jan 2016
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Hi All,
I'm translating an early 1940's text and ran across a phrase that utterly baffles me: みな鳧がつい てしまふ. I'm guessing that it is some sort of idiom, perhaps something like "thrown into a frenzy/tizzy"? Here is the phrase in the sentence in which it appears:
心配、悩み等が起り、それが我々を苦しめてどうにもならぬ時、死を考へることによつてみな鳧がつい てしまふ。
Any clues?
Thanks,
S
 
Hi All,
I'm translating an early 1940's text and ran across a phrase that utterly baffles me: みな鳧がつい てしまふ. I'm guessing that it is some sort of idiom, perhaps something like "thrown into a frenzy/tizzy"? Here is the phrase in the sentence in which it appears:
心配、悩み等が起り、それが我々を苦しめてどうにもならぬ時、死を考へることによつてみな鳧がつい てしまふ。
Any clues?
Thanks,
S

ケリをつける: 放心流
 
Thank you, Mike! Would you happen to know how the underlying metaphor is supposed to work? Much appreciated!

Probably a much better explanation here than the one I first linked: けりをつける - 語源由来辞典

The speaker is saying that when they feel despondent over their worries and troubles all they have to do is contemplate dying and that puts a stop to it (brings it to an end...puts a period on it, so to speak).
 
Thanks Mike and Toritoribe! The sentence says the exact opposite of what I assumed it says. Much appreciated!
 
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