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ニュースで学ぶ現代英語-6「英語からみる2025年ニュースこの1年」
-Looking back on 2025 in English
#-ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS
エンターテインメントとスポーツ
-Looking back on 2025 in English
(What we just heard was the global singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s 2014 hit number “Shake It Off.” Ms. Iida, Taylor Swift was quite a hot topic this year too, wasn’t she?)
(She was. Taylor Swift made headlines in August when she announced her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce on social media.)
(The expression was lovely too. Naomi, could you try to recreate it for us?)
Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married!
「あなたの英語の先生と体育の先生が結婚します！」
(…is what it means.)
(Yeah!)
(Right. “English teacher”—directly translated it’s an English teacher, but in the U.S. it means a language arts (literature) teacher. So “English teacher” and “Gym teacher” are actually characters often depicted in contrast in American dramas and movies.)
(For example, the English teacher is intellectual, literary, and a bit serious. The gym teacher is cheerful, sporty, and energetic. Having these two contrasting people get together is, in a way, a fun and interesting “gap moe” (attraction to the gap between characters).
(In the social media message Naomi just read, there was a dynamite emoji at the end. Do you know what that means?)
(No, I don’t. What is it?)
(It’s “T” for Taylor Swift and “T” for Travis Kelce—”TNT.” Trinitrotoluene. Apparently it’s a bit different from dynamite, but “TNT” symbolizes dynamite.)
(I see.)
(They also put “TNT” on bracelets and such, and I thought that was lovely too. I guess it represents “explosive” joy.)
(Indeed. It’s nice how there are stylish touches even in the small details.)
(Indeed, it’s a celebratory occasion. By the way, in the U.S. presidential election last November, Swift declared her support for the Democratic candidate Kamala
Harris—now the former Vice President—and immediately after that, President Trump posted on his social media:)
I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!
「私はテイラー・スウィフトが大嫌いだ！」
(…in all capital letters.)
(There was also the “catwoman controversy,” wasn’t there?)
(Yes. President Trump generally seems to like using capital letters and ending with an exclamation mark. After this year’s announcement—this engagement announcement—when asked by reporters at the White House, President Trump said:)
I think he’s a great player. And I think she’s a terrific person. And I wish them a lot of luck.
「彼は偉大な選手で、彼女もとても素晴らしい人だ。二人に大いに祝福を祈る」
(…he commented. I think Taylor Swift’s engagement was such a big news that even the President commented on it.)
(Ah, certainly. Well, given they are rivals, President Trump’s comment makes you go “Oh!” I checked the footage, and he looked like he was enjoying making the remark. That was good.)
(That shows how great Taylor Swift’s influence is, doesn’t it, Mr. Maeshima?)
(Indeed. Entertainment and politics are intertwined in America. Taylor Swift is not just an entertainment figure; she’s also a political figure in that sense. So even President Trump couldn’t ignore her, and it would have been bad if he just kept denying her.)
(Looking back at another entertainment-related event, the anime film “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle” was released in many countries and regions, and has been shown in the U.S. and Canada since September. Please listen to the voices of American audiences saying “I was moved!” after watching it.)
10 out of 10, amazing movie by the way. Amazing movie, perfect score, amazing. Not gonna lie.
「10点中10点、素晴らしい映画だ。満点。素晴らしい。本気で言って、すごい」
(That’s what they’re saying. They still seem very excited.)
( The word “amazing” came up about three times. Mr. Maeshima, what do you think?)
(Indeed. It’s interesting how various anime are exported from Japan. There’s “soft power.” Just as Taylor Swift is a very important “asset” for America, for Japan, this anime, “Demon Slayer,” is an asset, isn’t it?
(There’s the term “soft power.” It’s not military or economic force—not hard power—but the power of culture. The charm of Japan becomes a diplomatic asset. It can be seen that way.)
(As a Japanese person, it’s happy to see it accepted abroad.)
(The power of anime is incredible. Following such praise, it was announced in November that its worldwide box office revenue exceeded 100 billion yen for the first time for a Japanese film. Furthermore, this month, it was nominated for the Best Animated Feature Film at the Golden Globe Awards.)
(Meanwhile, there was also happy news for us in the world of international sports. In November, the Dodgers won back-to-back World Series titles in Major League Baseball. Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s comment in particular became a topic of conversation:)
Losing is not an option.
「負けることは選択肢にはない」
(Actually, this is a translation of Yamamoto’s remark “makeru wake ni wa ikanai” (I can’t afford to lose) from a press conference during the postseason. It became a topic among fans. This “Losing is not an option” is the kind of expression used in war movies, and it conveys a determination to move forward without any retreat.)
(I think that’s why it resonated even more with the fans. In fact, some fans felt that “there has never been a Japanese player before who could say something so cool,” so it could be said that it was a remark that broke down the wall between Yamamoto and the fans.)
(Mr. Maeshima, how do you see Major League Baseball?)
(It’s a cool statement. Through those words, you can see all the movements of Yamamoto and the Dodgers, who were in a tight spot but won in the end. Looking at it from a broader perspective, I think it’s like this:)
(I think it’s a major page in the history of Major League Baseball. It started from an era of only white players, then came the achievements of Jackie Robinson, leading to many black players entering. Then Hispanic players joined too. And in recent years, Asian players have been active; watching American baseball truly feels like watching diversity itself.)
(Japanese people are of course enthusiastic—Ohtani and Yamamoto. But there seem to be many fans locally too, which is very gratifying and happy. As someone living in Japan, I watched it with great joy.)
(It’s also Japan’s soft power.)
(Right. It’s not just Japanese people watching Ohtani and Yamamoto; have Ohtani and Yamamoto become big presences for Americans too?)
(And on the other hand, among the Asian-Americans over there, seeing people who look like them being so successful is a big influence, as there are Americans who are also of Asian descent.)
(And at the center of the success of Asian players is, of course, Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani made the following remark before fans at the victory celebration:)
I’m ready to get another ring. Let’s go!
「来シーズンもう1つリング、つまり優勝記念の指輪を獲得する準備はできている。さあ行こう」
(…is what it means. In other words, he’s aiming for a three-peat. Ms. Trauden, from Ohtani’s remarks, you can sense his composure and that he’s truly enjoying himself, right?)
(When Ohtani says it, you feel like it will really happen—it’s believable. That’s what’s truly amazing. He shows us so many dreams; he’s a truly incredible player.)
(By the way, Ms. Iida, you’ve been at the Los Angeles bureau, haven’t you?)
(Yes, I was the Los Angeles Bureau Chief. I went to cheer for Ohtani back when he was with the Angels before the Dodgers. Dodger Stadium is in the center of Los Angeles, so I used to go there quite often with friends.)
(I’m envious!)
(Indeed. And “Let’s go Dodgers” is something people in L.A. say quite naturally.)
(Actually, I met someone from the L.A. Dodgers yesterday and got this business card. It has the blue and white Dodger logo we often see. The Dodgers are a truly important asset to the people of Los Angeles, and Ohtani’s arrival has really boosted things, creating great excitement in both the Japanese-American and Japanese communities.)
(That’s a cool business card.)
(I brought it along to show you.)
(Though this is radio! Sorry about that.)
(Well, we also want to say “Let’s go!” heading into next year.)
(Now, it’s about time to end the program. Words are a mirror reflecting the times. What kind of words will be spun in the world of 2026?)
(Appearing on the program were model and actress Naomi Trauden, Professor and political scientist Kazuhiro Maeshima of Sophia University, and NHK Senior Commentator Kaori Iida. “Looking back on 2025 news through English.” The host was Takanobu Tanaka.)
Thanks for listening.
It was great to have you with us. And we wish you all the best in 2026.
–
単語・熟語 発音記号 意味
singer-songwriter /ˌsɪŋər ˈsɒŋraɪtər/ シンガーソングライター
hit number /hɪt ˈnʌmbər/ ヒット曲
hot topic /hɒt ˈtɒpɪk/ 話題の中心
make headlines /meɪk ˈhedlaɪnz/ 見出しになる
announce /əˈnaʊns/ 発表する
engagement /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt/ 婚約
recreate /ˌriːkriˈeɪt/ 再現する
get married /ɡet ˈmærid/ 結婚する
directly translated /dəˈrektli trænsˈleɪtɪd/ 直訳すると
language arts /ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ɑːrts/ （米国の）国語・文学
depict /dɪˈpɪkt/ 描写する
in contrast /ɪn ˈkɒntrɑːst/ 対照的に
intellectual /ˌɪntəˈlektʃuəl/ 知的な
cheerful /ˈtʃɪəfəl/ 陽気な
energetic /ˌenəˈdʒetɪk/ 活発な
gap moe /ɡæp ˈməʊeɪ/ ギャップ萌え
emoji /ɪˈməʊdʒi/ 絵文字
symbolize /ˈsɪmbəlaɪz/ 象徴する
explosive /ɪkˈspləʊsɪv/ 爆発的な
celebratory /ˌselɪˈbreɪtəri/ 祝賀の
declare support /dɪˈkleər səˈpɔːrt/ 支持を表明する
capital letters /ˈkæpɪtl ˈletərz/ 大文字
controversy /ˈkɒntrəvɜːrsi/ 論争
terrific /təˈrɪfɪk/ 素晴らしい
comment /ˈkɒment/ コメントする
rival /ˈraɪvəl/ ライバル
influence /ˈɪnfluəns/ 影響力
intertwined /ˌɪntərˈtwaɪnd/ 密接に絡み合った
entertainment figure /ˌentərˈteɪnmənt ˈfɪɡjər/ 娯楽界の人物
ignore /ɪɡˈnɔːr/ 無視する
soft power /sɒft ˈpaʊər/ ソフトパワー
asset /ˈæset/ 資産、強み
diplomatic /ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk/ 外交上の
be moved /bi muːvd/ 感動する
perfect score /ˈpɜːrfɪkt skɔːr/ 満点
not gonna lie /nɒt ˈɡɒnə laɪ/ 正直に言うと
worldwide /ˌwɜːrldˈwaɪd/ 世界的な
box office revenue /ˈbɒks ˌɒfɪs ˈrevənjuː/ 興行収入
nominate /ˈnɒmɪneɪt/ ノミネートする
back-to-back /ˌbæk tə ˈbæk/ 連続の
not an option /nɒt ən ˈɒpʃn/ 選択肢ではない
postseason /ˌpəʊstˈsiːzn/ ポストシーズン
determination /dɪˌtɜːrmɪˈneɪʃn/ 決意
resonate /ˈrezəneɪt/ 共感を呼ぶ
break down the wall /breɪk daʊn ðə wɔːl/ 壁を取り払う
tight spot /taɪt spɒt/ 苦境
diversity /daɪˈvɜːrsəti/ 多様性
of Asian descent /əv ˈeɪʒn dɪˈsent/ アジア系の
get another ring /ɡet əˈnʌðər rɪŋ/ もう一度優勝する
three-peat /ˈθriː piːt/ 3連覇
composure /kəmˈpəʊʒər/ 落ち着き
bureau chief /ˈbjʊərəʊ tʃiːf/ 支局長
cheer for /tʃɪər fɔːr/ 応援する
boost /buːst/ 押し上げる
heading into /ˈhedɪŋ ˈɪntuː/ ～に向かって
reflect the times /rɪˈflekt ðə taɪmz/ 時代を映す
（今お聴きいただいたのは、世界的シンガーソングライター、テイラー・スウィフトの2014年のヒット曲「シェイク・イット・オフ」でした。飯田さん、テイラー・スウィフトは今年も大きな話題でしたよね。）
（そうですね。テイラー・スウィフトは8月、NFLスターのトラヴィス・ケルシーとの婚約をSNSで発表し、ニュースの見出しを飾りました。）
（その表現も素敵でしたね。直美さん、再現してもらえますか。）
「あなたの英語の先生と体育の先生が結婚します！」
（…という意味です。）
（そうそう。）
（アメリカでいう「English teacher」は、日本語の英語教師ではなく、文学などを教える国語教師を指します。「英語の先生」と「体育の先生」は、アメリカのドラマや映画では対照的なキャラクターとしてよく描かれます。）
（英語の先生は知的で文学的、少し真面目。一方、体育の先生は明るく、スポーツ万能で元気。そんな対照的な2人が結ばれるのが、いわば“ギャップ萌え”ですね。）
（直美さんが読んだ投稿の最後にはダイナマイトの絵文字がありましたが、意味は分かりますか。）
（いいえ、分かりません。）
（テイラーの“T”とトラヴィスの“T”で“TNT”。爆薬のTNTを表していて、爆発的な喜びを象徴しているそうです。）
（なるほど。）
（ブレスレットにも“TNT”が使われていて、それも素敵だと思いました。）
（小さなところにもセンスがありますね。）
（お祝いの場にふさわしいですね。ところで、昨年11月のアメリカ大統領選で、スウィフトが民主党候補カマラ・ハリス氏への支持を表明した直後、トランプ大統領はSNSにこう投稿しました。）
「I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!
私はテイラー・スウィフトが大嫌いだ！」
（すべて大文字で。）
（その後の反応も話題でしたよね。）
（今回の婚約発表後、記者に聞かれてトランプ氏はこう答えました。）
「彼は素晴らしい選手で、彼女もとても素晴らしい人だ。2人に幸運を祈る。」
（大統領がコメントするほど、大きなニュースだったということですね。）
（娯楽と政治が絡み合っているのがアメリカです。テイラー・スウィフトは文化的にも政治的にも影響力のある存在なのです。）
（次にエンタメ関連では、映画『鬼滅の刃 無限城編』が海外で公開され、アメリカの観客からは「感動した！」という声が上がりました。）
「10点満点。正直言って最高の映画だ。」
（日本のアニメは日本のソフトパワーであり、重要な資産ですね。）
（興行収入は初めて1000億円を超え、ゴールデングローブ賞にもノミネートされました。）
（スポーツでは、ドジャースがワールドシリーズ連覇。山本由伸選手の言葉が話題になりました。）
「負けることは選択肢にない。」
（決意を感じさせる言葉で、ファンの共感を呼びました。）
（大谷翔平選手は優勝祝賀会でこう語りました。）
「もう一つリングを取りに行く準備はできている。さあ行こう！」
（3連覇を目指すという意味ですね。）
（言葉は時代を映す鏡です。2026年には、どんな言葉が生まれるのでしょうか。）
（英語からみる2025年ニュース。お聴きいただき、ありがとうございました。）